A cold and rainy Monday morning couldn’t bog down the high spirits Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati community leaders had for honoring lineworkers for National Lineman Appreciation Day.
Multiple Duke Energy lineworkers were honored at a 10 a.m. ceremony at Newport on the Levee. Their iconic bucket trucks were showcased in front of the Purple People Bridge. Community leaders from both sides of the Ohio River spoke on the importance lineworkers have in maintaining our way of life.
“We have a group of people who literally perform a high wire act to make sure we have what we need to conduct our lives, go about our lives, in civilized fashion,” Campbell County Judge/Executive said. “I think it’s worth thinking about, that without that, the veneer that provides a cover of civilization over less exciting possibilities is dead.”
Statistically, being a lineworker is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. According to linemancentral.com, 42 out of 100,000 are killed on the job each year. Lineman have to juggle with both high voltage power and towering heights. Many lineworkers often are required to fix power lines after dangerous storms and even hurricanes.
Additionally, according to national lineworker surveys and utility company data, 2,400 out of every 100,000 lineman suffer serious non-fatal injuries each year. Electric burns and broken bones from falls are the most common serious injuries lineworkers encounter.
“I came to say one thing. You guys are our partners in public safety. I’ve seen these fellas out on the lines at night,” Kenton County Police Chief Spike Jones said. “Nobody ever calls them when things are going right. It’s always when something is going broke. These guys get the call and they never fail to show up, within minutes of picking up the phone. They’re doing a job there’s no way we could do.”
