(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) – Today is National Lineman Appreciation Day, and PNM would like to take a moment to recognize and thank the line crews who work so diligently to keep the lights on for customers in New Mexico, and across the country. Line work is among the top 10 most dangerous professions in America, according to T&D World, and this national holiday is an opportunity to educate the public about the dangerous and challenging work that linemen do.
For most of us, our interaction with electricity stops at the flip of a light switch, but what some people might not realize, is the amount of people working behind the scenes to ensure that power is flowing safely to homes and businesses. Linemen are among the first responders in the community when storms and natural disasters hit, and face inherent danger every time they step out to do their job.
“It takes a special level of commitment to go through thousands of hours in training, and a certain diligence and resourcefulness to work through the challenges our linemen face every day,” said Jeff Nawman, director of Transmission and Distribution Operations with PNM. “We express our utmost gratitude for their pledge to keep the lights on in our communities.”
It takes four years and over 8,000 hours of training and classwork for linemen to reach journeyman status. On average, they carry 30 pounds or more of equipment and tools on their body while on the job, and may scale heights 40 to 100 feet tall. Safety is top priority, so linemen work with a variety of personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety glasses, flame resistant (FR) clothing, and rubber gloves.
PNM is offering the community the ability to express their gratitude for line crews by sending a personalized thank you card to the linemen during the month of April. VisitPNM.com/ThankALineman, complete the form, and PNM will print the cards out to share with crews across our service area.
About PNM
With headquarters in Albuquerque, PNM is the largest electricity provider in New Mexico, serving 525,000 customers in dozens of communities across the state. PNM is a subsidiary of PNM Resources, an energy holding company also headquartered in Albuquerque. For more information, visit www.PNM.com.