Recognizing our dedicated lineworkers
Every second Monday in April, we take a moment to honor and celebrate Tennessee’s lineworkers, a group of workers who deserve recognition every day. These 2,060 dedicated professionals work tirelessly to provide essential services that we too often take for granted. Their lives are frequently disrupted as they respond to outages and emergencies, and they put their own safety on the line daily to keep our communities powered. While we officially observe Tennessee Lineworker Appreciation Day on the second Monday in April, they deserve to be celebrated every day.
Tennessee’s electric cooperatives maintain thousands of miles of energized distribution line and keep lights on nearly all the time. While that small minority might be what you focus on, especially when you miss your favorite TV show or need to get ready for work, I challenge you to think about the efficiency. Consider the work the lineworker is doing to make sure you have electricity — something you don’t even notice unless it isn’t working.
Lineworkers work countless hours to keep your electricity running smoothly and reliably. However, their own lives are often disrupted. They might receive a call to respond to an outage at any moment. This means spouses are pulled away from home in the middle of the night, parents are asked to leave during family dinner and grandparents could miss birthday parties. Their lives and those of their loved ones are impacted by what happens on our distribution lines.
Simply put, being a lineworker is more than a job. They put their lives on the line every day in what is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the nation. These people are our utility industry’s first responders, and I appreciate all they do for our co-ops and our communities.
So, if you see one of our lineworkers around town, I hope you will take a moment to say thank you. Even if it isn’t on April 14, I know they will appreciate it.
