National Lineman Appreciation Day

[Nashville] – Tennessee’s electric cooperatives join the U.S. Senate in recognizing April 18, 2013, as National Lineman Appreciation Day. The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday honoring lineworkers for their efforts at keeping power flowing.

In Tennessee there are more than 400 co-op linemen who work in the field restoring power during outages and maintaining distribution lines and equipment. Across the nation, more than 19,000 men and women maintain 2.5 million miles of line for electric co-ops, public power districts, and public utility districts.

“The caliber of our line employees is top notch,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Each and every member of our line crews should be commended for their hard work in delivering safe and reliable power to our members.”

A bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) “recognizing linemen, the profession of linemen, the contributions of these brave men and women who protect public safety” was passed by unanimous consent. The resolution resolves that these workers…

• are steeped in personal, family and professional tradition;
• are often first responders during storms and other catastrophic events, working to make the scene safe for other public safety heroes;
• work with thousands of volts of electricity high atop power lines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to keep electricity flowing;
• must often work under dangerous conditions far from their families to construct and maintain the energy infrastructure of the United States;
• and put their lives on the line every day with little recognition from the community regarding the danger of their work.

“It’s time lineworkers were recognized like this,” Callis says. “It’s a great acknowledgment.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides legislative and communication support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org to learn more.