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April 2017 SWRE Manager’s Report Job of Lineman is Demanding


It takes a special individual to be a lineman. They have to like hard, difficult work – sometimes many hours or days of hard work at a single stretch with little or no rest.


They can’t be afraid of terrible working conditions – ice,


mud, rain, wind, or any other forces that Mother Nature can conjure up.


They have to be educated about how to work in dangerous conditions that would terrify most folks, and they must always be alert. Electricity, for those who are untrained or careless, can kill. They have to be willing to answer


the call to get out of a warm bed, leave their wife and kids, and venture out to work. During the night. During family events. During holidays.


Austin Huff


Above all, they have to believe in service – service to the people who are counting on them to “keep the lights on”. Yes. It does take a special individual to be a lineman.


That’s why I’m pleased to observe National Lineworkers Day on April 10.


I’m proud of all our SWRE employees, but I am especially pleased to recognize and honor the service of our SWRE linemen. They are a great bunch of men whose work and service is the backbone of our co-op.


Becoming a career journeyman lineman is not easy. When SWRE or other cooperatives hire linemen, they traditionally


first assume the position as an apprentice


lineman with the agreement that they will pursue certification as journeyman lineman. It’s a rigorous course of study that typically takes several years to complete. I’m pleased to tell you that Austin Huff, a member of our Oklahoma lineman


crew, has recently completed his


accreditation training and will receive his journeyman certification in a ceremony to be held this month in Oklahoma City. It’s a big accomplishment.


Austin joins 12 of his fellow SWRE workers who hold journeyman certification. Four apprentice linemen are currently pursuing the accreditation.


The journeyman certification program is through Northwest Lineman’s College, and the coursework is rigorous. “It’s been tough”, Austin said about the process. “It involved lots of studying for a lot of tests. I studied a lot at home whenever I could get spare time and I took the tests on days off. I tried to take two tests a month.” The coursework involved taking more than 40 written, timed tests, in addition to many observable benchmarks. According to Austin, some of the tests were particularly challenging. “We had to know OSHA codes,” he said, “but the codes were constantly changing. I’d study the codes, and then


receive a book with new codes. Three new National Electric Safety Code books were issued after I received my study manual. It was hard to keep track of the codes and numbers for them.”


The coursework isn’t limited to just electrical issues, but also includes things like weights and limits. Several of the tests required complicated calculations. As an example, “Pole weight tests were difficult,” Austin said. “We had to figure weights of wood for different species of poles.”


Rope strength calculations were also part of the testing curriculum.


The journeyman accreditation process traditionally takes four years to complete, but candidates can advance through the coursework at their own schedule. Austin was able to complete the course in three years and two months. Austin and his wife Whitney live in Tipton and are parents of two boys, Daytyn, 7, and Warryn, 5. The couple grew up in Tipton, attended school in the same class, and have known each other all their lives. They married soon after high school. “I always wanted to be a lineman,” Austin said. “I was interested in electricity and SWRE is a big company in Tipton. I wanted to work for the co-op.” Before being hired by SWRE in 2013, he worked


installing pivot irrigation systems for a dealership. “I built pivots for them, wired machines, put water wells in the ground, and hooked up underground pipe.” It was good preparation for work at SWRE. The best part of his co-op job, Austin said, is working with people – both SWRE members and his co-op coworkers. “Every day is different,” he said. “I might work at the big rock crusher (near Snyder) one day, at an irrigation well the next day, and doing a pad mount the day after that. I’m always on the move and there’s always something to learn.”


About his fellow linemen he said, “There’s not better


people anywhere than the guys who work at the co-op. Everyone looks out for each other and takes care of each other.”


In his spare time, Austin likes to hunt, fish, and spend time with his two boys.


I would like to personally extend congratulations to Austin on this major achievement of becoming a journeyman. I also offer encouragement to the apprentice linemen who are currently involved in the process. There’s no doubt that the process is rigorous, difficult and demanding, but it’s part of the preparation for providing “Safety, Service, Satisfaction… One member at a time.”


I hope you join me in extending special good wishes and appreciation to our journeyman linemen and SWRE operations personnel on National Lineworkers Day and every other day, too.


Kenneth E. Simmons


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