Newspaper Page Text
Page 2— Wednesday, November 15, 2023, The True Citizen
Weathering the storm
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Editor’s note: This is part 1
of a series of stories highlight
ing the linemen who tend to
Burke County power outages.
Some people go to great
heights to make others happy.
Planters Electric Member
ship Corporation (EMC) was
formed in 1936 and became
the 17th rural electric utility
in the nation. The company
is a member-owned electric
membership corporation pro
viding service to the people
of Burke, Jenkins, Screven,
Bulloch, Effingham, Eman
uel and Richmond Counties.
Bobby Jones has worked as a
lineman with Planters EMC for
nearly a decade.
Jones, a 2011 Burke County
High School graduate, did not
always work in the power in
dustry. He initially worked as a
ranger for the Georgia Forestry
Department. Eventually,he at
tended South Georgia Techni
cal College where he earned a
lineman degree.
“Just the thrill of getting
everybody’s lights back on
and seeing everyone happy,”
Bobby said of his reason for
making the career switch. “The
thrill of helping people.”
The biggest challenge Bobby
faced was adapting to the long
hours that are required of line
men. Restoring power is not
a 9 to 5 endeavor. Linemen
must be available to respond
whenever the power goes out.
Even daily, linemen often
return home well after dark.
Bobby works in most of the
counties that the EMC covers.
However, inclement weather
often requires linemen to travel
to other areas to assist. In times
of wide-spread power outages
associated with harsh weather
conditions, even locally, that
can mean late-night hours
Bobby recalls the challenges
associated with restoring pow
er during the ice storm of 2014.
In a matter of hours, electric
service was disrupted to nearly
all Burke County homes. As
temperatures continued to
drop, ice from freezing rain
began to accumulate on trees,
causing limbs to fall on power
lines. Former Burke County
EMA Chief Rusty Sanders
estimated that 96% of resi
dents were without power at
the height of the storm. Randy
Hill, currently EMC’s manager
of membership services, said
at the time he had never seen
such a hit to their 3,000 miles
of overhead line in more than
25 years of working with the
company.
“It was freezing and it in
volved long nights,” Bobby
said. “Just as quick as we
would get a line back up, it
would go right back down.
Trees were falling everywhere
and ice was everywhere. We
weren’t really making any
progress at first. It was pretty
challenging for everybody.”
Staying safe is also a chal
lenge associated with the
industry. Lineman work is
considered one of the most
hazardous jobs in America.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reports a fatality rate of 20.3
per 100,000 full-time workers,
nearly five times the national
average for all occupations.
However, Bobby said im
provements in technology and
safety equipment over the last
decade have proved beneficial.
Advanced global positioning
systems (GPS) have decreased
response times. Also, unlike
some senior linemen in the
industry, thirty-year-old Bobby
has never had to free climb.
Fall arrest systems like the
Super Squeeze now involve
a strap that encompasses the
pole and allows the lineman to
make adjustments as the pole
narrows. If the lineman begins
to fall, the strap tightens around
the pole. The safety equipment
allows the linemen to climb
with more confidence.
Bobby also feels confident
about the future of his chosen
career. He recommends the
work for anyone looking for
job security. As long as there
is construction, linemen will al
ways be in demand. However,
it’s not for people who possess
a fear of heights.
“I like the thrill of it,” he said
of working 100 feet in the air.
Bobby lives in Waynesboro.
Outside of work he spends
time with loved ones doing
whatever makes them happy,
he said.
Waynesboro Open House set for Sunday, Nov. 19
The City of Waynesboro
Downtown Development
Authority’s annual Down
town Open House will take
place on Sunday, November
19th, from 1 to 5 p.m. in
downtown Waynesboro. The
event, Waynesboro’s version
of “Black Friday”, will have
many of the downtown shops
and some of the restaurants
open with special sales and
deals. The first 100 shoppers
to get a designated number
of punches from local shops
on a special punch-card will
receive a free gift (pictured)
from the DDA. The giveaway
is only open to adult shoppers
over 18 years old.
Downtown Development
Director Don Lively expects a
large crowd for the event.
“The Downtown Open
House is one of our busiest
shopping days of the year. This
year we have several new busi
nesses participating and we
believe that this year it’s going
to be bigger than ever.”
The DDA encourages shop
pers to remember that there
are great shops in 6th
Street and on Shadrack
Street, in addition to
the Liberty Street busi-
nesses; in fact, the
DDA punch card will
have a few required
punches for some of
the more out-of-the-
way shops.
“All of the shop
owners who will be
open put a lot of time
and effort into the day and we
want them all to do a great busi
ness during the Open House,”
said Lively.
For more information you
can call 706-554-8018.
Bobby Jones is a 2011 BCHS graduate who works for Plant
ers Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) restoring power
in Burke County.
Bobby Jones worked to bury underground wiring Thursday,
November 9.
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