Louis Ulmer, crew foreman

Length of service: 39 years

How did you come to be a lineman?

I started out at Wallace Community College studying carpentry, and my supervisor suggested the lineworker program. I tried that out and I came to Pioneer Electric, and, well, I never looked back I guess.

What advice would you give to your younger self first starting out in this trade?

Take nothing for granted and always be careful. Don’t think the line is dead just because it’s on the ground. What is the most interesting call for service you’ve been dispatched to?

Probably when our underground transformer caught on fire because that was something we had to learn as we experienced it on the job. We had to figure out how to approach it safely and learn how to isolate it, and it was hard to get close to it because it was so hot. Another time, a power pole caught on fire. What did you wish you had known when you started?

Before I came to this job, I just wish I learned more at the beginning about electricity, how it transfers from one place to another, which direction it travels and more about the purpose of electrical substations. I know all about those things now, but it was a learning curve.

Jason McCormick, apprentice lineman

Length of service: Three months

How did you come to be a lineman?

I was a mapping technician for Pioneer for two years. That position required me to go to lineman school with AREA (Alabama Rural Electric Association) and go out to work with a crew once a week. I really enjoyed being outside and working with the crew, so when Pioneer had open positions for crew members, I wanted to transition into that role.

What is your role as part of the crew?

My job is to ensure the lineman in the bucket has everything readily available to him so that he doesn’t have to wait on materials or tools, making sure everything is prepared so he can do his job safely, quickly and easily. I also work on nonenergized lines and assist in framing poles and rigging equipment.

What attracted you to such a dangerous line of work?

When I served in the military, I always worked with a crew of about five or six other guys. When I came to work for Pioneer, I guess I kind of realized that I missed that, so that’s why I transitioned into this role I have now. When you work in smaller groups, you just build a bond because you’re spending every day together. You work as a team and everyone has each other’s backs. That’s the aspect of the job I enjoy the most.

What has surprised you most about linework?

Just the knowledge and experience required to be a lineman. You have to know so many different things about the equipment, its parts and how it operates. You need to know which direction the electricity is coming from in order to do your job safely. When you’re driving down the road just looking at the power lines, you don’t realize how complex it all is. What do you look forward to most in this career?

What do you appreciate about being a lineman?

It’s not the same job every day. One day, you may be setting up a new meter and another day you’re being sent to another service area to help restore power after a major storm. You get to do a lot and see a lot of different things. Do you have any wisdom to pass on to the new generation of lineworkers?

It’s a good opportunity to make a great career for yourself, but you’ve got to be safe no matter what part of the job you’re doing. That’s always the most important thing to keep in mind.

I look forward to learning more every day and serving the members at Pioneer Electric.