Electrical linemen are nothing short of heroes in this weather. When the days become short and the wind begins to blow, the work of a lineman becomes less of a job and more of a mission.
Many homes are heated electrically, and even those that use natural gas depend on electrical switches to turn them on. Without heat and light, lives and livelihoods are threatened. Day or night, snow or ice, the call goes out. And dutifully, our brave linemen march to their vehicles and begin the often-dangerous trek to the source of the power outage.
To the rest of us, we only see the clock tick off the minutes until the flicker of lights means the power’s back on. We may get a little frustrated, anxious, depressed, or frightened, but with nothing to do but light candles and make the best of it – we wait.
Meanwhile, the brave men and women of the line risk their lives on the roads, standing near live wires, watching each other’s backs as they fight the charged monster back into submission. They check, test, and check again before giving the all-clear to send the juice back into the line.
Lights come to life. Heaters kick on. Households cheer. And the brave heroes – never seen, never heard – trudge back to their homes as weary soldiers of the line.
These courageous people deserve appreciation. They live the American Dream of facing your fear, helping others, and walking away unscathed. These are American Linemen, and they are heroes.