PUC encourages South Dakotans to thank a lineman on April 18

PIERRE, S.D. - In commemoration of National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission asks South Dakotans to thank the men and women whose work helps ensure safe and reliable delivery of electricity year-round.

“In times of crisis, lineworkers are first responders and I’m incredibly grateful for the work they do,” said PUC Chairperson Kristie Fiegen. “We Midwesterners are not strangers to extreme weather that has the potential to damage our power lines and other essential infrastructure. When you and I are hunkered down at home during a storm, these men and women brave the elements to restore utility services because they understand how important their role is to the safety of the public,” she continued.

“Linemen are on call to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Storms and other catastrophic events often take them far from their home and loved ones. These essential workers deserve our appreciation for the work they do to protect our families’ lives,” said PUC Vice Chairman Gary Hanson.

“It is no secret that working as a lineman can be dangerous. Even when they aren’t responding to an emergency, they are still working around thousands of volts of electricity, often high atop towers, to help build out and maintain our energy infrastructure, and they do so with very little recognition. It’s only right that we take time to thank them for their hard work and the support they provide our communities,” stated PUC Commissioner Chris Nelson.

National Lineman Appreciation Day was established by Congress in 2013 to recognize, honor and support the professionals who responded and worked tirelessly to address the power and telecommunications outages experienced by over 8 million people in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. On April 18, you can use #ThankALineman on social media to show your support for the more than 120,000 lineworkers in the U.S. who are always there to support our communities.