Today is Lineman Appreciation Day and, like yesterday, a blue-sky day isn’t the time when lineworkers are most appreciated in this state.

The Energy Institute of Alabama held an event at Montgomery Whitewater on Thursday honoring lineworkers in anticipation of today – which sees the state holiday aligned with the date of the national holiday.

State Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, helped lead the legislation to have a state Lineman Appreciation Day and have it line up with the national day.

“Many of you may know I come from a big lineman family,” Weaver told the linemen. “My granddad was a lineman for almost 50 years, so I know first-hand what that means when it thunders or when the lights flicker. There were many, many times that my grandmother waited on him for a meal and he missed a lot of things. I know that each of you have so many sacrifices that you miss in your daily lives with your family to take care of us and the things that you do.”

Weaver held up one of the old glass insulators that were once a standard on power poles. She said she found it in her grandparents’ home and now keeps it on her shelf in her office in the Alabama Senate.

“Kids come in and they always say, ‘What is that?’ and they always try to guess,” she said. “For me it is a visual example of the sacrifice that my grandfather made and it’s the same sacrifice that each of you make every year because you are the insulators for us in this state.”

Houston Smith, vice president of Governmental Affairs at Alabama Power, is the chairman of the Energy Institute of Alabama.

“You do a job that is dangerous in good conditions, and often you have to do it in bad conditions,” he said.

Jeff Smitherman, director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, emphasized the importance of lineworkers after storms. He said power restoration is the key indicator in recovery, and he is always in awe of how fast restorations occur. He noted that the numbers in his presentations are often out of date from the time he gets them to the time he delivers them because of how fast lineworkers are doing the job.

“You guys are always the optimum solution,” he said. “I appreciate that and it’s truly heartfelt.”

Alabama Power linemen attended the Energy Institute of Alabama’s Lineman Appreciation Day event. (Michael Tomberlin / Alabama News Center)

Jarrod Duke, lead lineman at Alabama Power, said lineworkers are proud of their performance during storms, but they are equally proud of being part of the communities where they live and work.

“When people talk about a lineman … there’s more to it than being a lineman,” he said. “We all work and serve in our communities. We all volunteer at local food banks and do different things for our communities. We’re coaches for our kids.”

It’s because of those ties that they know the value of their work after a storm, he said.

“Ultimately, it’s what we do,” Duke said. “We’re the first line of normalcy after a storm comes.”

 

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In addition to Alabama Power, Thursday’s event included lineworkers from Alabama Rural Electric Authority, Energy Southeast, Electric Cities of Alabama, PowerSouth Energy and Tennessee Valley Authority.

“Every one of us here – different companies, different utilities, but we all have the same goal in mind,” Duke said. “Y’all continue to be safe and be your brothers’ and sisters’ keeper.”

EIA Executive Director Blake Hardwich said EIA initiatives include a new car tag to support lineworkers. Proceeds from the Thank a Lineman license plate goes to burn centers at UAB and the University of South Alabama and to support lineworkers injured in the line of duty.

Hardwich and Weaver said lineworkers are worthy of support.

“I wish we could do more than just have a day in your honor, and we will continue to figure out what that is, but today enjoy your day and know that you are appreciated,” Weaver said.