I&M, Community Celebrate National Lineworker Appreciation Day

Late nights, extreme temperatures, weekend shifts, down the road or miles away - Indiana Michigan Power's (I&M) electrical lineworkers are dedicated to ensuring our customers have safe and reliable power. Throughout the year, and especially today, we recognize the full nature of their work and sacrifice.

April 18 marks National Lineworker Appreciation Day. This annual observance honors the men and women who routinely weather all types of challenging terrain and hazardous conditions to deliver reliable energy to homes and businesses. This can include stints of 16-hour days and traveling far from families to help with restoration efforts after a storm or other natural disaster.

"Thank you for your hard work and dedication in keeping our communities powered and connected. Your bravery and commitment are truly appreciated." - Cooper, Granger, Ind.

"Thank you to the Marion Barn Linemen for always going above and beyond. Your long hours and hard work does not go unnoticed." - Baileh, Marion, Ind.

"You all do a wonderful job taking care of power lines in ALL kinds of weather! You all are VERY MUCH appreciated!" - Dean, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Locally, the scope of their daily work is significant. Just how big? I&M maintains over 25,000 miles of power lines - enough to circle the Earth. These lines are maintained by nearly 500 electrical workers and contractors who support the 24-county service area in Indiana and 6-county area in Michigan. This totals a territory of 4,500 square miles including 164 communities.

While their impact is most noticed in the maintenance and operation of electrical equipment, it is also felt in their presence within the community. Their "office" is in the neighborhoods they call home, raise their families and actively volunteer and serve others.

Linework requires significant passion. Often, crews are called upon in the middle of the night, during stormy conditions, on holidays and during family gatherings to respond to emergencies. They work to safely restore power for customers to resume their normal lives, but also to restore hope following a catastrophic weather event. This includes pouring time and effort into communities far from home.

To ensure they are prepared to safely meet the challenges ahead, a high level of specialized training is required. I&M has an industry-leading indoor and outdoor training facility, Baer Field Training Center, located in Fort Wayne. Its apprenticeship program is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor and attracts a variety of students.

Once training is completed, lineworkers receive a certificate from the Department of Labor recognizing them as a journeyman across the entire industry. The apprenticeship can also be turned into an Associate of Applied Science degree by taking six additional credit hours with West Virginia University at Parkersburg.

I&M thanks these hardworking men and women for their sacrifice and dedication to safely serving our customers and community in any condition. To read additional messages from the community, thanking our lineworkers, please visit the Featured Stories section on our website next week for a full story.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.