Lineman Appreciation Day
(Hopkinsville, KY) – When we flip a light switch, we expect a light to turn on. We usually don’t give much thought to the processes or people behind it, until the light doesn’t turn on because of a power outage. Severe weather is the top cause of power outages in the United States. When storms cause the power to go out, we depend upon our electric utilities to restore power as safely and quickly as possible.
Lineman Appreciation Day is April 10 in many parts of the country, honoring the employees who are dispatched to the areas where storms have damaged electrical equipment in order to ensure public safety and restore power. Linemen are the front line, but they do not work alone. In fact, behind every flick of a light switch or press of an electronic appliance button, there is an entire team of utility personnel working hard to make sure that electricity is delivered reliably and safely to homes and businesses.
In addition to line crew, Pennyrile Electric has team members with various needed areas of expertise. Engineers plan ways to provide energy in more resilient and efficient ways. They work on updating smart grid systems as well as operational planning, analysis, and design. Safety managers provide training to keep utility personnel and consumers safe.
Member Service representatives answer questions on outages and billing, and communicators provide consumers important information on safety, efficiency, and outage updates. Dispatchers relay vital information to crews. Through their communication and organization, administrative professionals connect team members and work to keep the utility running efficiently. Administrators guide the utility in its efforts to meet the goals and expectations of their consumers.