By Wayne Price

    On Thanksgiving Day, before we eat we have a tradition of having each person say what they are thankful for. Answers tend to include good health, being with family and the delicious food set before us. Occasionally you will get a response like “Spider-man!” from one of the little kids.
    This year I’m going to give thanks for Nebraska’s electric linemen. I realize this is something of an unconventional response but I think it’s a good thing to be thankful for these days.
    From restoring power after a storm to building new lines to serve customers, Nebraska’s electric linemen are the face of public power in our state. They play a vital role in serving customers around-the-clock with reliable and affordable electricity.
    They wake before the sun, pour steaming cups of coffee, and kiss their family goodbye. After swinging by the office to get the day’s orders, men climb into their trucks and head out. Our lineworkers form a solid team with one job: to deliver safe, reliable electricity. But that job can change in a million ways when rough weather steps in.
    We often take power—and the men and women who provide it—for granted. Let’s take a moment and stand in their boots.
    Linemen have to work safely, smart, and efficiently—all while 40 feet in the air wearing sturdy, thick rubber gloves. On a typical day, lineworkers maintain electrical distribution lines or build service to new homes and businesses in Nebraska. They have a lot on their plates. But when our dispatch center calls crews with a problem, everything else takes a backseat.
    Power restoration takes precedence on a lineworker’s to-do list. These brave men are always on call. We have crews standing by to serve you 24 hours a day, in the middle of the night or wee hours of the morning, weekends and holidays.
    Can you imagine getting a call at 3 a.m. telling you to work outside during bad weather? Not many people are willing to face storms. Nebraska’s lineworkers face harsh elements daily, all to serve you.
    They don’t always get the recognition they deserve. So this Thanksgiving, as you sit down to eat, say thanks to the electric lineworkers that keep our lights on.