When the polar vortex hit at the end of last week, it made for chaos going into the holiday weekend.

Pipes burst and deprived many of water, while power outages also struck and roads became hazardous.

While most were off for the weekend, we would like to take this minute to thank all who were on duty, keeping vital services running through the holiday.

In downtown Ironton, a main break had to be repaired by crews, while the fire department was also responding to calls of issues. (This was the case here at The Tribune, where a leak in the upper floors of the Masonic Building had to be shut off by fire crews on Christmas Day).

Meanwhile, many local plumbing companies had workers on call through the weekend, responding to severe calls.

Sadly, the risks of one line of work were evident when an apprentice lineman from Buckeye Rural Electric, Blake Rodgers, was killed while working to restore power for those in the county. These linemen often work in severely adverse conditions in remote locations, in a dangerous profession. But, with temperatures going below zero, keeping the power going is a matter of survival for the public.

To all crews who carried on through the holidays, making sure that things remained stable for most, we thank you for all of your hard work.