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The Energy Institute of Alabama on Tuesday recognized and celebrated linemen on Lineman Appreciation Day for the hard work they do every day to ensure Alabamians have access to power. The event was held at Dixie Electric Cooperative in Montgomery.
Alabama Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh, State Senator April Weaver, R-Brierfield, WSFA Chief Meteorologist Josh Johnson, Baldwin EMC Journeyman Lineman Wayne Givens, EIA Chairman Houston Smith and EIA Executive Director Blake Hardwich were among the speakers at today’s event who thanked linemen and utility workers for their service.
For VIDEO of yesterday’s event, click HERE. This video is available for publication with no attribution needed.
“We shouldn’t have to wait for a storm to say thank you to our linemen and utility workers. You all are the first ones on the ground when tragedy strikes, and affected communities depend on you in their times of need. So it’s natural for folks to give you the thanks you deserve when that happens,” said Cavanaugh. “But we all know that what you do goes far beyond helping our communities recover from storms. You are hard at work every day making sure that Alabamians have access to the power they need to live their daily lives and raise their families. It is hard work, but it is essential to every single person who lives and works in our state. It is an honor to thank you today for your service to the people of Alabama.”
“I come from a big lineman family. My grandfather was a lineman for almost four decades, so I grew up knowing that, if storms came, my Papaw was going to be gone for a while. And coming from that family, it made me have the greatest appreciation for what linemen and their families do every day,” said Senator Weaver. “I’ve had a lot of tornadoes in my district over the past few years, and after the most recent tornado touched down, my husband and I went to help. When we arrived, the first people there were linemen, making sure the lines weren’t hot so first responders could get in and search for those missing. What you all do is so important to me personally, and I thank you for the sacrifices you and your families make to keep our state up and running.”
Each year, EIA presents an Outstanding Service Award recognizing a lineman for going above and beyond their duty. This year, EIA presented this award to Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative (SMEC) linemen Randy Moody, Ricky Hill and Landon Green. While providing maintenance to a downed power line during last December’s winter storms, SMEC lineman Mason Myers contacted an energized, broken wire hanging from a power pole. Moody, Hill and Green administered CPR until first responders arrived.
This life-saving CPR and emergency first aid, which was administered for over 20 minutes in freezing temperatures, turned out to be lifesaving for Myers, who recovered and has now returned to work with no restrictions.
EIA is dedicated to promoting reliable, affordable, and clean energy to help grow our economy, create high-paying jobs, and build public support for Alabama’s energy industry. EIA members include Alabama Power, Alabama Municipal Electric Authority, Alabama Rural Electric Association, Electric Cities of Alabama, PowerSouth Energy and Tennessee Valley Authority.
