WHEREAS, linemen are pivotal in setting up and repairing electrical wire communication and power lines; and
WHEREAS, during storms and emergencies, linemen are often first responders to ensure that the area is safe from power lines that have fallen and that communication technologies remain operational in these times of crisis; and
WHEREAS, even without a crisis, the job of a lineman can be very dangerous and full of risks; and
WHEREAS, there are currently over 118,000 linemen in the United States; and
WHEREAS, it takes four years of training to achieve journeyman status for a lineman; and
WHEREAS, linemen serve and work on 2.7 million transmission towers, 170 million wood poles, and 9 million miles of wire in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the first lineman in the United States was Ezra Cornell, who built the Morse Telegraph and later founded Cornell University; and
WHEREAS, during Hurricane Sandy approximately 67,000 line personnel responded in this time of need; and
WHEREAS, linemen pulled together during the unprecedented 2017 hurricane season, answering calls for help in Texas, the Southeast, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and
WHEREAS, linemen risk their lives working through natural disasters, severe weather, and every other obstacle thrown at them; and
WHEREAS, April 18th was first recognized as “National Lineman Appreciation Day” in 2013 by the U.S. Senate; and
WHEREAS, this day is to recognize the individuals that work tirelessly each day to ensure that electricity continues to flow to homes, schools, hospitals, and throughout communities.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 151st General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that April 18, 2021 is recognized as “National Lineman Appreciation Day” in the State of Delaware.
