Line work ranks as one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.
The crews at Medina Electric Cooperative work, rain or shine, in often-challenging conditions to ensure you have reliable electricity. On April 14, we celebrate Linemen Appreciation Day, honoring those who make sure our community has the power it needs every day.
It’s hard work but very rewarding.
The Danger
Working around high-voltage electricity comes with obvious risks. Move just a little the wrong way or lose focus for a split second, and it could be deadly.
Linemen often work on energized power lines and can’t tell they’re energized by sight alone. Their work requires concentration, and there’s no margin for error. They often endure rainstorms, high winds, and extreme heat and cold to restore power during an outage—sometimes in the dark or near fast-moving traffic.
That’s why workers must undergo years of training before they can officially be called a lineworker. They typically start as apprentices, helping crews with tools and keeping job sites safe, which usually spans four years.
After an apprenticeship, with more than 8,000 hours of training under their belts, they transition to journeyman lineman status.
But the education is ongoing. Linemen continue training to stay up on safety requirements and up-to-date on the latest equipment and procedures.
The Sacrifices
This job comes with sacrifices. Linemen are often first on the scene of devastating emergencies, like car accidents, structure fires and damage from severe storms.
They don’t know what type of situation they’re going to face or when they’ll face it. They get calls at all hours, including in the middle of the night. They might miss their kids’ sports events and family dinners, but with the support of their families, their dedication pays off in the end.
Their sacrifices ensure the electricity that powers the lives of our friends and neighbors stays on.
It’s Worthwhile
One thing that makes this job worth it is the camaraderie. Medina EC’s employees are like a second family, and the line crews are a tight-knit group. In this work, they have to depend on the person beside them in life-or-death circumstances.
It’s a culture of trust, teamwork and service. It’s all about keeping everyone safe and the lights on.
Linemen have a lot of pride in their work. When it’s cold and wet, they know they’re working to keep people warm. There’s a lot of satisfaction in hearing someone yell “Thank you” from the window after the lights come back on or seeing people flip the light switches on their porches after an outage is restored.
No matter how tired they are or how long they’ve been working, that feeling makes it worth it.
You can trust that Medina EC linemen are doing their best to get the lights back on as quickly and safely as possible—so you can get back to living.
Until next time,
Trey Grebe
