I stood over my non-functioning generator, cursing myself for not being more prepared. “Winters in New England,” I thought, “You know better”. As the wind blew cold sleet into my face, real concern crept into my thoughts; I had a newborn inside, and I didn’t want her going without heat. That’s when a light popped on. No, not inside my head, but inside my house!
My neighbor is a lineman. I had seen him take off about 12 hours earlier that day as the storm began to hit. That day and for days after I saw many linemen working hard to get our power back up and running. Especially this year, many of us all over this country from New England to Texas to California, can personally thank a lineman the way I could that day - obviously this was in the form of Dunkin' coffee and doughnuts.
Linemen are first responders and essential workers; We notice this in times of emergencies. But everyday, they are working on our national grid to ensure we are provided with energy. Check out this great video by Northwest Lineman College highlighting how Linemen were pivotal in helping develop modern American by bringing electricity to the masses.