National Lineworker Appreciation Day is Monday, April 12. Dairyland and our member cooperatives are taking the opportunity anytime this month to honor the professionals who keep the lights on day and night, in all kinds of weather and conditions.
Of course, this past year has been like no other. Dairyland’s lineworkers have been an integral part of our critical work force during the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter what, our transmission professionals deliver on Dairyland’s mission to power local communities by safely maintaining the complex infrastructure needed for a reliable supply of energy.
Dairyland employs 57 highly skilled lineworkers who work safely in challenging conditions across our four-state service territory. Our line professionals span many areas and levels, including apprentice, journeymen, lead, foreperson, management and safety positions.
Anyone who has had power restored after an outage—so, everyone—knows and appreciates the critical service provided by lineworkers. Through the Restoration of Power in an Emergency (ROPE) program, Dairyland’s crews also provide a helping hand to regional utilities during outage events. Last August, Dairyland crews offered mutual assistance to Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) after an intense wind storm called a derecho caused massive damage to CIPCO’s service territory.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the essential expertise of lineworkers and all utility professionals,” said Dairyland COO Ben Porath. “Dairyland’s lineworkers have performed safely, under the strain of the pandemic, in every situation. Thank you for the extra effort you have made to keep safety as your first priority, during everything from routine maintenance to extreme weather outages.”
Wisconsin is home to over 200 lineworkers employed at electric cooperatives, including Dairyland. Across the nation, more than 19,000 lineworkers maintain 2.6 million miles of line for co-ops, public power and public utility districts.
#ThankALineworker
If you are on social media in April, consider taking a moment to show your appreciation for all lineworkers. Use #ThankALineworker in support of those who help power our homes and businesses!