National Lineman Appreciation Day: When the lights go out, Duke Energy heroes shine

-- U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) designate March 31, 2015, as National Lineman Appreciation Day.

-- To participate in honoring line workers across the country, use the hashtag #thankalineman in social media and if you see a line worker today, thank them for their service.

News provided by

Duke Energy

Mar 30, 2015, 01:00 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The lights go out. You see and hear tree limbs falling. Power poles and wire once powering your home lay on the ground.

The service that powers the lives of your family is no longer there.

This is the potential scene when summer storms roll through or severe winter weather changes the landscape of our daily routines. This is when the lineman goes to work, in the worst of weather and conditions, with a steady focus on the hazardous job at hand.

"Travel conditions and storm restoration work can be challenging," said Darick Hendriksz, a Duke Energy lineman based in Charlotte, N.C. "But working together with other linemen to get power on for our customers after severe weather is the most rewarding and gratifying part of my job. Power is something we all need, want and expect, and there is no better feeling than completing the job and seeing homes light back up after a powerful storm."

U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced resolutions to designate March 31, 2015, as National Lineman Appreciation Day to recognize linemen, the profession of linemen, and the contributions these brave men and women make daily to protect public safety.

"I'm proud to join Senator Tillis in designating March 31, 2015, as National Lineman Appreciation Day," said Rep. Mulvaney. "This day serves as a small token of thanks to the hardworking linemen across South Carolina and the country for everything they do to keep our electricity on."

"All men and women who work to protect their community deserve unending praise and respect for their duty and sacrifice. I was honored to introduce a resolution designating March 31, 2015, as National Lineman Appreciation Day," said Sen. Tillis. "Our linemen truly are public safety heroes, often times being the first to respond during storms and other emergencies, and our appreciation for them should not go unnoticed."

More than 5,000 line workers are part of the Duke Energy family. They, along with thousands of contract line workers, construct, operate and maintain equipment and more than 295,000 miles of power lines that deliver electricity to more than 7 million customers across its service territories.

To participate in honoring line workers and their families across the country, use the hashtag #thankalineman in social media. But more importantly, if you see a line worker today, thank them for their service.

For more information about Duke Energy's line workers, follow @DukeEnergy and visit www.facebook.com/DukeEnergy.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at: www.duke-energy.com

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Contact: Meghan Musgrave
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_MeghanM

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SOURCE Duke Energy