To you, climbing on up a pole more than likely looks thrilling or terrifying. But, either way you see it, it’s hard work.
“Working out in the snow and the ice and the rain, it wears on you at times. It really does,” says Aaron Skinner.
Linemen restore power in moments of crisis, no matter what may have knocked it out.
Terrell White says, “lot of squirrels knock people’s power out. Sometimes trees fall, tear services down, tear primary lines down.”
You may not immediately think of these guys when you think about first responders, but they are always there when you need them. “There’s not any linemen out there that back down from what we’ve got to do, because it’s our job, says Josh Hyatt.
Last month, nine men from Huntsville Utilities loaded up and took off for North Carolina. That’s where Hurricane Florence knocked out power for more than half a million customers. These first responders were there as the storm was rolling in.
“Once the storm hit and it done it’s thing, we kind of took over with our training and everything and just went to work,” says Hyatt.
“Trees, the rain. The rain was awful. It rained continuously for four days straight,” says White.
These linemen were there to serve others who were desperate for help.
“Everybody knows a bucket truck when you have a natural disaster like that,” says Hyatt. “Everybody honking their horns, giving thumbs up. It’s a really good feeling to help people out.”
“People waving, smiling, saying thank you, giving you thumbs up. It’s great,” adds Skinner.
The crew consisted of the following team:
Supervisor: Chris Lanford
Lead Lineworker: Jim Ingrum
Journey Lineworker: Terrell White
App. Lineworker: Cole Border
Lead Lineworker: Robert Pope
Journey Lineworker: Josh Hyatt
App. Lineworker: John Woodard
Operator: Mark Godsey
Helper: Aaron Skinner
