Rural Missouri - April 2024 - 15

support from the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives.
These days the co-op's apprentices typically come
from one of the lineman schools such as State Technical
College of Missouri in Linn or Ozark Technical College,
with schools near aclede's eanon ofi ce and in ia
Their education continues on the job and also through
classes at the association's training center in Jefferson
City. Prospective linemen often decide whether they want
to continue based on the weeklong climbing school. It's
here many ace their fi rst mae-it-or-rea-it challenge
pole climbing.
THE WELL-DRESSED LINEMAN
harley will neer orget his eperience there climing
35-foot poles. He had practiced at the co-op, but never got
above 5 feet off the ground. His training came in the days
when linemen ree-climed poles, without the enefi t o
gear that prevents falls.
" It was tough, " he says. " I was 28 and not in good
shape. It didn't come naturally to me. And it was before
the fall arrestors. So, if you fell you could hit the ground. "
hat's what happened on his fi rst clim  cut out and
fell and got some splinters in my arm and I'm like, 'Man,
I don't know if this is for me or not.' I wasn't scared of
heights at all but when you have a quarter inch of steel
holding 250 pounds on a pole it's just hard to get used to
that. It was just, 'There's no way that's going to hold me.' "
ortunately or harley, the eperienced instructors at
the school had been there themselves. He recalls Darrell
Cuppy, a safety instructor for AMEC, and Craig Moeller,
then a lineman for Three Rivers Electric Cooperative, helping
him uild his confi dence
" Craig just climbed up the pole with me and talked me
through what to do, " Charley says.
ac at aclede, armed with newound confi dence,
Charley again ventured up a pole using those tiny spikes
attached to his boots. " I thought 'I got this' and then the
ery fi rst pole  climed ater leaing climing school,  ell
I came down about 15 feet and I caught the pole before I
hit the ground. "
That's when Charley discovered the character of the
people he now worked with. They were determined not
to let him ail rom that time to the net time  climed
it was a little nerve-wracking, " he admits. " Luckily, they
made me climb every opportunity we had. They made me
go up and it just gets you used to it. "
8:20 a.m., Laclede Electric Operations Building:
Charley and his on-call partner, Adam Smith, clean out the
bed of their Dodge RAM bucket truck. Their work orders call
for hanging new lights, wiring a service to a warehouse and
fi xing an automated meter that isnt reorting its readings.
harleys hone rings and their day uickly changes.
The two are working a weeklong shift as on-call servicemen.
hat means hen something goes rong for a member, its
their ob to fi x it. hey head east of ton to a mobile home
park to check out a low-voltage issue.
Before this and every other job they do begins, they hold
a tailgate session. As the senior worker, Charley leads
the discussion that includes what the job entails and any
otential risks. afety comes fi rst. hat done, the to ull
the meter and test the voltage. There are no issues on the
co-os side of the meter, so harley knocks on the door and
lets the member know the problem is inside her home.
To keep the lights on for electric cooperative members,
linemen like Laclede Electric Cooperative's Charley Moore
use a variety of special tools and protective clothing designed
to keep them safe on the job. Here's a look at what
the well-dressed lineman wears at work. Fully equipping
each lineman can cost more than $5,000.
Hotstick: $500
Hard hat: $50
Safety glasses: $15
Fire-resistant shirt:
$110
Rubber sleeves
(not shown): $900
Body belt:
$700
Rubber gloves
& leather
protectors:
$200
Fall protection
device: $1,400
Fire-resistant
pants: $120
Pole climbers:
$700
Lineman boots:
$265-$530
APRIL 2024 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 15
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Rural Missouri - April 2024

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