April 13, 2021 – A special day is right around the corner! National Lineman Appreciation Day is April 18. On this important day, LCEC honors and thanks not just our dedicated linemen, but line workers around the world, for the imperative and dangerous work they do. These dedicated, highly skilled workers put their lives on the line daily to keep the lights on. They work in the most dangerous conditions faced with challenging elements and situations. National Lineman Appreciation Day is a day to #thankalineman for their work which goes largely unnoticed until you are without power.
Our linemen are extremely talented, brave and passionate. They who work around-the-clock to keep the lights on for LCEC customers. LCEC is extremely proud to have made the history books when retired lineman Les Walton was inducted into the International Lineman Museum Hall of Fame in 2015. Walton passed away in 2020. His legacy will forever live at LCEC and in this museum!
Should you see a lineman on National Lineman Appreciation Day, or any day for that matter, please give them a wave (from six feet away). LCEC extends a huge thank you to all the brave line heroes across the nation! During the COVID-19 pandemic, linemen and women are working hard around the world to ensure that no one has to worry about having power. It is the goal of line workers to provide peace of mind during this unprecedented time.
Powerful facts about the lineman trade:
-The power lineman trade began: 1879
-First lineman in the United States: Ezra Cornell (who built the Morse telegraph line and founded Cornell University)
-Founder and first president of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: Henry Miller
-Number of line workers in the United States: More than 115,000
-Number of wood poles in United Sates: 170+ million
-Approximate weight of lineman tools and equipment: 30 pounds
-Miles of wire service in United States: 9 million+
-Number of transmission towers in service in United States: 2.7 million+
-Number of wood poles in service in United States: 170 million+
-Number of years of training to become lineman: 4 years
Source: linemanappreciationday.com