Commentary National Lineman Appreciation Day A
Chris Meyers General Manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
ll electric co- operative em- ployees play an important and
necessary role in keeping our lights on—it’s a team effort. But the lineman role is unique. Linemen face hazards and working
conditions that are very different than most other employees. Their work is technical and physically demanding. We know about the physical demands because we regularly see them at work. Their equipment and tools are big and the materials they work with are heavy. They work from a bucket or climb poles held by a set of hooks and a belt. During restoration efforts, they work in diffi cult weather conditions—rain, mud, sleet, snow and ice. It’s not a job that just anyone can or is willing to do. What is less apparent is the technical knowl- edge they must possess. Their work with high voltage power is hazardous and requires years of
training. After four to fi ve years of schooling and testing and more than 4,000 hours of on-the-job training, a lineman earns the designation of “jour- neyman.” Becoming a journeyman lineman is a signifi cant professional milestone but it is just the beginning of their effectiveness as a lineman. With each outage, they get better at troubleshoot- ing and recognizing unusual situations. For a lineman, it’s a lifetime of learning. Their work also requires careful attention to
work practices and safety. They can take no short- cuts or get complacent—with high voltage there are no second chances.
Linemen are proud of their trade. Bringing electricity to every home and business is both challenging and rewarding. The second Monday of April has been designated as Lineman Appreciation Day. It’s fi tting that we recognize these men and women who build and maintain the power system that we rely so heavily upon. When you see linemen, thank them for their ser- vice.
April 11 is Lineman Appreciation Day. #ThankALineman Powering the needs of new generations A
Kendall Beck President, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
s a known ex- pression goes: “all good things must come to
an end.” Have you ex- perienced days that were so good you wished they wouldn’t be over? I’ve had days fi shing that I wished would never end, but they
did. However, I will always cherish the memories from those special days. The same applies to the past 12 months while I was serving as board pres- ident for the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC). I started a career path in the electric cooperative industry 29 years ago. If you had told me then that I would serve as president of our statewide association, I’d have chuckled and kept on fi shing! I never imagined God would lead me to such a fulfi lling and re- warding career. OAEC is a statewide association created and voluntarily supported by local electric distribu- tion and generation/transmission cooperatives in Oklahoma. Its purpose is to collectively perform services that would not be economical or
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practical for individual electric cooperatives to perform alone. Some functions performed by the statewide association include legislative represen- tation, regulatory oversight, training and educa- tion services, safety programs and communications support, including the publica- tion of Oklahoma Living magazine. Serving as president of this association for the last year was a privilege. I’m pleased to say the association board is blessed with capable and caring leaders. As I step down from my role as president, I feel confi dent the services and pro- grams in place are well positioned to continue empowering you, our member-owners. Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives unite under the OAEC umbrella. From this unity comes great cooperation and a shared desire to work diligent- ly to deliver affordable, reliable and safe electric- ity to you and your family. Though my term to serve as president is over, I will continue to be a part of the co-op family as manager of Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative (Stigler, Okla.) and an OAEC board trustee. I’m grateful to be a part of an industry that thrives in powering the needs of new generations.
Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Chris Meyers, General Manager Kendall Beck, President
Gary McCune, Vice-President Scott Copeland, Secretary Larry Hicks, Treasurer
Staff
Sid Sperry, Director of PR & Communications
sksperry@oaec.coop
Anna Politano, Editor
editor@ok-living.coop
Kirbi Mills, Director of Admin. Services
kmills@oaec.coop
Hillary Barrow, Accountant/Offi ce Manager Asst.
hbarrow@oaec.coop
Hayley Leatherwood, Multimedia Specialist
hleatherwood@ok-living.coop
Taryn Sanderson, Editorial Intern
intern@oaec.coop
Editorial, Advertising and General Offi ces P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154 Phone (405) 478-1455
Oklahoma Living online:
www.ok-living.coop Subscriptions
$3.48 per year for rural electric cooperative members.
$7 per year for non-members. Cooperative Members: Report change of
address to your local rural electric cooperative. Non-Cooperative Members: Send address
changes to Oklahoma Living, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.
Oklahoma Living (ISSN 1064-8968),
USPS 407-040, is published monthly for consumer-members of Oklahoma’s rural electric cooperatives by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, 2325 E. I-44 Service Road, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.
Circulation this issue: 321,744
Periodical postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Association of Electric
Cooperatives is a statewide service organization for the following electric cooperatives: Alfalfa, Arkansas Valley, Caddo, Canadian Valley,
Central Rural, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cookson Hills, Cotton, East Central Oklahoma, Harmon, Indian, KAMO Power, Kay, Kiamichi, Kiwash, Lake Region, Northeast Oklahoma, Northfork,
Northwestern, Oklahoma, Ozarks, People’s, Red River Valley, Rural, Southeastern, Southwest
Rural, Tri-County, Verdigris Valley, and Western Farmers Electric Cooperative.
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