Lineworker Appreciation Day
April 19, 2021
Sunday, April 18, is National Lineworker Appreciation Day. This is a day to recognize the efforts of the men and women who keep the nation running by maintaining an electric grid that crisscrosses the country, above ground and below, until it connects to each and every one of our homes to reliably provide a service we depend on. And when disaster strikes the system our lineworkers have built, they tirelessly work to get emergency systems back online and urgently return service to customers.So, the next time you’re checking social media from a charged phone, make sure to #ThankALineworker.
Did You Know?…
- Lineworkers have been around for over 180 years. The position became necessary in 1840 with the introduction of telegraph lines, used for long-distance communication, which were attached to trees and poles.
- Lineworkers are committed. A lineworker must be highly qualified to handle important and dangerous electric systems. It takes four years of training to become a journeyman.
- Lineworkers work together. During catastrophic power outages, many line crews participate in mutual aid programs that send teams to where help is needed most. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, more than 67,000 lineworkers traveled to help restore power. ERMU recently provided mutual aid to southern Minnesota after a major snowstorm and to the southern U.S. after hurricanes