(JEFFERSON, GA. April 10, 2018) – Jackson Electric Membership Corporation is joining other utilities across the state to honor line workers, whose expertise and knowledge are vital each day but especially critical when outages occur and power restoration is required.

Gov. Nathan Deal has issued a proclamation observing April as Lineman Appreciation Month in Georgia.

“In the last year, Georgia experienced extreme weather on multiple occasions, including the landfall of Hurricane Irma,” Deal said in his resolution.

Deal added that linemen work diligently and courageously to restore power to communities and repair damages to the state’s energy supply.

“Linemen are our first responders when power needs to be restored quickly to homes, schools, hospitals and businesses,” said Jackson EMC President and CEO Chip Jakins. “We’re proud of the work our linemen do every day, but in April we set aside a special time to honor this dedicated group of professionals.”

As one of the most dangerous jobs in America, linemen often work near or with energized wires and equipment in order to maintain the nation’s energy infrastructure.

Linemen must sometimes step away from their families when there’s a power outage, including responding on weekends, holidays or late at night, according to Jakins.

“It’s this type of tireless dedication that makes me so proud of our Jackson EMC linemen,” Jakins added.

This month, Jackson EMC members are asked to share their words and stories of appreciation for linemen by using the hashtag #ThankALineman on social media or by sending a note to their Jackson EMC office. The cooperative is also honoring its linemen with appreciation events.

The Georgia State House and Senate also introduced resolutions recently to honor utility line workers in the state.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.