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In this episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, we sit down with David Formella, utility forester at Southside Electric Cooperative in Virginia, to explore what happens when trees, power lines, and people intersect in unexpected ways.

David brings a unique background to utility forestry: a degree in natural resource conservation from Virginia Tech, military service as a Marine, and experience as an EMT. When he arrived at Southside Electric, he discovered that being a utility forester means wearing countless hats, from vegetation management and storm restoration to emergency response and member education.

The stories David shares reveal the human side of keeping the lights on. One day, he went to address a member’s complaint about tree removal and ended up calling 911 when the member had a medical emergency. During a helicopter aerial trimming operation, a horse broke loose and went running down the road. Beyond the dramatic moments lie the daily challenges of balancing member concerns about beloved trees with the critical need to maintain safe, reliable power delivery.

What emerges is a portrait of cooperative work that goes far beyond job descriptions. It’s about being present in your community, caring about members as people, and being ready to help however needed, whether that’s preventing outages, bird-dogging for mutual aid crews during storms, or simply being there when someone needs help.

Featured topics:

• The unexpected emergencies utility foresters encounter in the field
• How cooperatives respond during major storms and restoration efforts
• Bird-dogging: supporting mutual aid crews during major outages
• Aerial trimming operations with helicopters and their unique challenges
• Balancing member relationships with vegetation management requirements
• Why the cooperative model demands caring about people above all else

David’s experience shows that working at an electric cooperative isn’t just about technical expertise. It’s about embodying the cooperative principle that caring about people comes first, even when that means stepping outside your role to help a member in crisis. The same mindset that drives vegetation management to keep communities safe extends to every interaction, creating the foundation of trust that makes the cooperative model work.

When you work for a utility where neighbors are members, you can’t just be a forester managing trees. You have to be ready for anything, from medical emergencies to livestock on the loose. David’s stories remind us that the cooperative difference isn’t found in policies or procedures, but in the willingness to show up, care deeply, and do whatever it takes to serve the community.

The Co-Op Heroes podcast brings you real stories from electric utility operators: the people who work around the clock to keep our communities powered and served.