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Page 2— Wednesday, December 27, 2023, The True Citizen Tree & Stump Removal, Trimming Expert, land Clearing, Brush Cutting, Bush Hogging, Skid Steer Work & Storm Clean Up SHELLIE SMITLEY thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com Editor’s note: This is the final installment in a series of articles highlighting the line men who tend to Burke County power outages. Eventually, the student be comes the teacher. Shane Wyatt, 30, has been employed with Georgia Power for about nine years. He began as an apprentice lineman and worked his way up the ranks to crew leader. “Growing up, I knew that I enjoyed working outside and working with people and the money was enticing,” he said of his interest in lineman work. “I had family who previously worked for the power com pany, they were not linemen, they were engineers for Geor gia Power, and they put a bug in my ear about it.” Prior to entering the line man apprenticeship, Shane worked for about 18 months for a contractor who completed work for Georgia Power. The experience prepped him for a lineman position with the larg est of the four electric utilities that are owned and operated by Southern Company. However, the training at Georgia Power was more thorough, he said. Initially, the biggest challenge was learning to bring the qual ity of his work up to Georgia Power standards. However, the apprenticeship provided seasoned mentors who assisted Shane in learning how to bring forth “A- game” results. “There were people around me to teach the me right way to do things,” Shane remarked. Georgia Power promoted Shane to the crew leader posi tion approximately six months ago. It’s a position that Shane aspired to for many years. “I had great mentors and now I get to be the mentor that doors, even when he is not at work, Shane enjoys spending time outside hunting and fish ing. He also enjoys traveling with his wife Shannon whom he married last month. They are expecting their first child, a son, in April. The anticipa tion of becoming a dad for the first time fills Shane with more anxiety than climbing electric poles that range from 30-120 feet in the air. “First baby for me right now for sure,” he said of his greater fear and nervousness. “A long time ago, I might have stated it was climbing a big pole, but now for sure, it is having my first baby.” At right, Shane Wyatt was up on a pole Dec. 15 with two other Geor gia Power linemen. I had,” he said. “It makes me feel good.” However, training apprentice linemen comes with its own growing and learning process. It requires teaching people who majority of the United States. The cold wave affected all U.S. states from Colorado to the eastern seaboard and as far south as Miami, Florida. Tens of millions of people Shane Wyatt trains apprentices ages in Burke County. have varied experiences and acquired skills. “My biggest thing is under standing that everyone is dif ferent and learns differently,” he stated. “You can’t expect everybody to learn the same way, and you have to step back and realize that.” Shane doesn’t spend all of his time training though. When widespread outages occur, he is right back tending to damaged lines. Fast Christmas, Shane restored power affected by an ice storm. From December 21- 26, a crippling winter storm brought conditions including bliz zards, high winds, snowfall and/or record cold tempera tures as it raged across the who will tend to power out- across 36 states were subject to wind chill alerts. In Geor gia, tens of thousands were without power, with thousands spending Christmas Eve with out electricity. Shane worked Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas. “Just knowing my whole family was in town and doing things and I had to step out to go to work was my great est challenge by far,” he said. “And it was 10 degrees.” Although Shane lives in Harlem, he trains linemen who tend to the outages in Burke County. He also restores the power in Burke County when inclement weather knocks it out. Passionate about the out BRINSON'S TREE & STUMP REMOVAL 706-526-8686 Brian Brinson When electricity makes a great Christmas gift "JlaSTmi Rates Ford Explorers Others call you customers, we call you friead S9UBVNIA With Appovved Credit IT- W | H 1- ' ^ X * JEKS. 330 Frontage Road West, Sylvania 912-564-7414 wnww.sylvaniaford.com