Linemen must be committed to their career, because it’s not just a job…..it’s a lifestyle. The long hours and ever-present danger can truly take a toll. In fact, being a lineman is listed in the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S.
Linemen install and maintain power lines and related equipment, ensuring that they function efficiently and safely. This includes climbing utility poles, using large bucket and digger trucks, working with transformers, and handling various electrical components. During power outages or emergencies, linemen respond quickly to identify and repair faults in the power grid. This may involve working in challenging conditions, such as adverse weather or hazardous environments. They play a crucial role in emergency response situations, such as natural disasters or severe weather events. They work to restore power as quickly as possible to affected areas.
Safety is a paramount concern for linemen. They adhere to strict safety protocols and guidelines to prevent accidents and ensure the well-being of themselves and their colleagues. Here at Wheat Belt, our employees participate in monthly safety meetings and training.
Becoming a power lineman typically requires specialized training and certification. While the job typically requires a college degree in utility line, it also requires technical skills, years of training and hands-on learning. Did you know that to become a journeyman linemen can take more than 7,000 hours of training (or about four years)? That’s because working with high-voltage equipment requires specialized skills, experience, and ongoing mental toughness. Shortcuts are not an option, and there is no room for error in this line of work.
Wheat Belt PPD has 12 linemen that are responsible for keeping the power on 24/7, 365 days a year. To do this, they maintain just over 2,200 miles of power lines across seven counties and 3,600 square miles. In addition to the highly visible tasks that linemen perform, their job today goes far beyond climbing utility poles to repair wire. Today’s linemen are information experts who can pinpoint outages using technologies such as laptops, mapping software and advanced metering systems.
Having our Wheat Belt linemen is an absolute essential to the life of our communities. Without the exceptional dedication and commitment of these hardworking individuals, we simply would not have the reliable electricity that we need for our everyday life.
If you see one of our Wheat Belt linemen out and about, please take a minute to say thank you for the work they do to keep your power on. After all......... linemen are the Power Behind Your Power!