A Lineman’s Perspective:
Why This Month and This Work Matters.
For most people, electricity is invisible and effortless. You flip a switch, and the lights come on. You open the refrigerator, and your food is cold. Power is simply there, working quietly in the background of our everyday lives. And because of the incredible reliability of our electrical system, it’s easy to take it for granted.
That’s why Lineman Appreciation Month matters.
This month gives us a chance to pause and recognize the people who make that reliability possible. It’s an opportunity to look beyond the poles and wires and see the dedicated professionals who build, maintain, and repair our grid. When storms roll in during the middle of the night, linemen are the ones leaving their own families to face harsh conditions so they can restore power to yours. Behind every comfort electricity provides, there is a lineman committed to serving their community, no matter the challenge.
Before I became Vice President of Engineering & Operations, I was one of those linemen. My name is Jon Justice, and I spent years in the field working alongside crews who build, maintain, and restore the electrical system our members rely on every day. That experience gave me a deep respect for the skill, focus, and dedication this job requires, and it continues to influence how I view this work and the people performing it.
Finding My Way into the Trade
I didn’t grow up in the power industry. I came to the trade from the mechanical world after a friend mentioned that KREMC was hiring. Almost immediately, the opportunity clicked for me. The power industry offered something rare: long term job security and meaningful work you could be proud of. I’ve always preferred working with my hands, and I get real satisfaction from helping people. Line work checked both boxes. Once I made the switch, I never looked back.
Learning to Be Comfortable with Discomfort
The early years were among the most challenging and formative of my career. You’re learning to climb 40-foot poles while hauling heavy gear. You’re working in blistering heat, freezing cold, and everything in between. And you’re learning a trade where a single mistake can be your last.
The hardest part wasn’t physical work; it was learning to quiet the doubt in my own head. Trusting your training, your equipment, and your crew. That confidence doesn’t come overnight, but once it does, it changes everything.
There’s Nothing Like Turning the Lights Back On
People often ask what part of line work I enjoyed the most. The answer is easy. It’s that moment after a major storm. You’ve been working 16 hours straight in miserable weather. You finally rebuild a section of line, close the switch, and suddenly you hear cheers from the houses down the road as lights flicker back on. There is no feeling in the world like it.
A “Typical” Day
One of the reasons this job appealed to me is that there truly is no typical day. Most mornings started around 7 a.m. with a tailboard meeting, talking through the job, the hazards, and the plan. Then we’d load the trucks with materials: crossarms, insulators, transformers, wire. From there, anything could happen. Setting a pole for a new home. Replacing equipment found during an inspection. Responding to a car-pole accident. Every day brought new challenges that required problem solving, teamwork, and adaptability.
A Call I’ll Never Forget
One of the most memorable experiences of my career was traveling to Peace River Electric Cooperative in Florida to help with hurricane restoration. The scale of the devastation was staggering. Entire sections of the system were destroyed. The work was intense, fast-paced, and demanding, but safety always came first. What stuck with me most though, was the reaction from the community. Seeing the relief and gratitude from members who had been without power for days was incredibly humbling. It made every long, exhausting hour worth it.
How the Trade Has Changed, for the Better
The biggest change I’ve seen in this industry is the emphasis on safety. Early in my career, the culture leaned more toward toughness and speed. Today, safety is integrated into every single step of every single job, and that’s a good thing. Our tools and equipment have improved dramatically as well. Modern electronic reclosers, for example, have replaced old oil-filled models, eliminating environmental risks and allowing us to program devices precisely for their location on the system. These smart technologies speed up restoration and form the backbone of a more resilient, self-healing grid.
The Work You Don’t See
Storm restoration gets the spotlight, but most of a lineman’s work happens long before the lights ever go out. Preventative maintenance, line patrols, vegetation management, equipment upgrades, and new construction are what keep outages from happening in the first place. There’s also a tremendous amount of behind the scenes work, substation maintenance, underground cable splicing, system planning, mapping, and documentation. Reliability isn’t an accident. It’s the result of constant, year round effort.
What It Takes to Be a Great Lineman
Great linemen are calm under pressure. They respect electricity without fearing it. They’re problem solvers with strong work ethics and positive attitudes, even when it’s 2 a.m., and the rain is coming down sideways. Most importantly, they’re team players. This job isn’t for lone wolves. You depend on one another completely, and over time, your crew becomes a second family.
Advice to the Next Generation
If you’re new to the trade, here’s my advice: show up early, stay late, and listen more than you talk. Learn from the people around you. Never be too proud to do the grunt work, it’s how you earn respect. And never, ever take a shortcut on safety.
If I could go back and talk to my younger self, I’d add this: take care of your body. Stretch. Lift correctly. This career is a marathon, not a sprint, and your body is your most important tool.
Thank You, Linemen
As we recognize Lineman Appreciation Month, we want to extend our sincere thanks to Jon Justice for sharing his perspective and for the leadership he brings to our organization, shaped by years spent in the field. Just as importantly, we thank each of our linemen whose skill, dedication, and teamwork make reliable electric service possible every day. Their commitment to safety, their willingness to answer the call at all hours, and the pride they take in serving our members do not go unnoticed. Our company, and the communities we serve, are stronger because of their hard work, and we are grateful for them not just this month, but year round.