Video: National Lineman Appreciation Day

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LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)-  You see them all the time. Rising high into the sky you often rely on them when your power goes out. They’re one of the hardest working men out there. And now, they’re getting the kudos they deserve.

“I think it’s great to get a little recognition for what we do, you know. We’re often out at long hours at night, trying to put up lines and clear the way to get everything safe for the public,” said 4-County Electric Construction Foreman Rob Giles.

The U.S. Senate passed a resolution, making April 18th National Lineman Appreciation Day. Workers at 4-County Electric Power were honored to hear the news.

“Being a lineman is a fulfilling job. We’re always busy. Always trying to keep things going for our customers, keep things nice and safe,” said 4-County Lineman Byron Benson.

Many times linemen are the first people on the scene when severe weather hits, which makes their jobs even more meaningful.

“Sometimes when we drive up we’re the first sign of hope and people and trying to get things back to normal and one big step to that is getting your electricity turned back on so you can have hot water and be able to cook a meal or two. Even just this past week, we drove up and we’ve seen homes blown away and we’ve seen people just picking through what’s left of what they own and your heart goes out to them. At the same time, you know the best thing you can do is do what you do best, and that’s building power lines,” said Benson.

The men say it’s a business and relationship that goes far beyond just work.

“There’s a spirit here among the guys that work together, that is, you know, they’re our brothers and we watch out for each other,” said Benson.

4-County has 51 employees who work in the field, restoring power during outages and maintaining distribution lines and equipment throughout the area.

The bill was introduced by U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Michael Bennett (D-Colo.)

Categories: Local News

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