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News and Updates from Seattle City Light

(spot)Light: Hina Arai

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Hina Arai is the Utility Hearing Officer for City Light. Born in Pakistan, her family moved to the states, with stops in New York and Massachusetts before making a permanent home in the Pacific Northwest. She grew up in Aberdeen and attended college at the University of Washington (UW), majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Women’s Studies. She attended law school at California Western University.

Hina lives in the Wedgewood area with her husband Andrew and sons Joseph (2 ½ years) and Asher (7 months). “I love love love my neighborhood,” she said. “My parents live four houses down, which is fantastic. My other neighbors have kids the same age as my oldest so we get together for play dates and special events; it just feels like we live amongst an extended family.” In this week’s (spot)Light, Hina talks about her career path, the importance of giving back and her favorite park in Seattle.

Hina with her family

“I love living in Seattle. The local parks are wonderful. Not just how accessible and clean they are, but how we, as a city, prioritize the value they add to our communities. Greenlake is my favorite. I ran it in college and, though I didn’t know him at the time, my husband also did. Naturally, when we started dating, we’d run the lake together. In fact, that’s where we got engaged and took our engagement photos. Our fist apartment also overlooked the lake, so, it’s obviously a special place for us.”

“I started my career with internships and externships in Federal Indian law. After my first year of law school, I worked with UW’s Tribal Law Clinic representing tribal members in Tribal Court under supervision. It was amazing because as a law student, you are required to take the Tribal BAR exam and get a glimpse of what real litigation is like.  The next year, I worked with the in-house counsel for the Snoqualmie Tribe and then went on to the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. to work with the Office of Tribal Justice. After law school, I took the BAR exam and worked here in Seattle for a local firm representing various Tribes in criminal and civil matters.”

“My focus at City Light is dispute resolution for customers, things like billing disputes, landlord/tenant issues, bankruptcy/foreclosure issues and helping our claims unit with property damage cases. I also serve as a strategic advisor and give guidance to business units. I’m also the privacy champion for City Light and review different projects that have potential privacy impacts, which I enjoy. In this day and age, I believe it’s important that our customers know that we value and understand how critical their privacy is.”

“I like the culture of the utility. I value the City’s RSJI initiative and City Light’s commitment to it. I enjoy working in the public sector and serving my community. I think it’s very important to feel connected to where you live. To not only feel valued, but to add value.”

Thank you, Hina, for serving the utility since October 2013 and for always putting our community first!

Seattle City (spot)Light: Wanda Davis

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In her 32 years at Seattle City Light, Electrical Construction and Maintenance Supervisor Wanda Davis has worked across various sites like the Cedar Falls and Tolt Hydro Projects, the Skagit Project Substations and her current location at Technical Metering Operations. In her role, Wanda supervises field crews and coordinators, including meter electricians working on installs and repairs along with local outreach construction.

This summer, she’ll celebrate retirement and looks forward to spending time at her Puyallup home with her wife Jeri and grandson Alex. In this week’s (spot)Light, Wanda shares her inspiration for the trade, what she’s learned in her career and how she’ll kick off her golden years with one big adventure.

Wanda enjoying Chicago

“I started riding motorcycles when I was in my 20s. In fact, my brother and I are hitting the road in July for an Iron Butt Ride—we’re riding border to border from Canada to Mexico in 36 hours. My wife is also going to ride with me on my Harley trike. We plan on taking our time on our way back to enjoy some of the sights.” “We love nature—snowshoeing, camping, hiking. Washington is amazing. We have everything from the mountains and oceans to rainforests and desert, it’s so diverse. We also love the performing arts. One of my daughters is the founder and director of the Seattle Women in Jazz Festival so that’s one of our favorite things to do in the city.”

“My mother was a good example for me to follow. She was the kind of woman who could do anything with her hands. If she wanted a bookshelf, she’d just build one. She had an eighth-grade education and when I was in high school, she went back to school, got her GED, went to college and ended up with a degree in mathematics. She became a teacher in Alaska and would fly into Eskimo villages to teach children.”

“Part of my inspiration for entering this line of work is my mom. She never let the fact that she was a woman stop her from doing whatever she wanted to do. In her era, women didn’t generally receive math degrees, but she did. She raised us to go whatever direction we were interested in and to not let any barriers or society stop us. Of course, having six brothers, I ended up a bit of a tom girl. So, I’ve been doing things like this my whole life. I didn’t know that girls weren’t expected to do it—I just did it. Now, I’ve got two trades under my belt.”

“I enjoy helping the people I work with; to help them grow in their lines of work. It’s been good to give back. Whatever job we have, we all get there with the help of other people. It’s that whole ‘it takes a village’ concept, but it does work. No one gets to where they’re going without the help of others. And that’s what I’ve been trying to do at the utility. It’s been a great career.”

“I love what I do. I don’t know everything. Even after 32 years, there’s still so much to learn. If I were to give any advice, it would be to always be open to learning. No one knows it all. You can learn something from someone who has only been on the job for one day. They have different experiences, different backgrounds and different ways of thinking. Always be open to learning.”

Congratulations, Wanda, on your retirement and for your illuminating career at City Light! Wishing you the best!

Seattle City (spot)Light: Erin Thompson

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Born in Olympia, Erin Thompson is a native Washingtonian who holds a B.A. in history from Western Washington University. “I’m a local girl all the way,” she said. In her role as Senior HR Business Partner, she leads the records and benefits group where she focuses on process improvements and oversees personnel files, from entries and exits to promotions and open enrollment.

She currently resides in Tacoma, but is slowly inching her way north with her eye on the Fremont and Wallingford area. “The hippie vibe is so me,” she joked. In this week’s spotlight, we chat with Erin about her interests, life in the PNW and her roots in public service.

Erin basking in the sun during a trip to Sorrento, Italy

“Seattle is just a great city with a great vibe. There are a ton of cool neighborhoods and a major food scene. I’m a foodie so of course I love it. I’m a big brunch person—Portage Bay is one of my favorites. For lunch, it’s going to be Wild Ginger or Lola, which has this amazing donut dessert. Dim sum is another favorite of mine. I actually belong to two dim sum dining groups!”

“I’ve lived in Washington my whole life and can’t imagine being anywhere else. I like the weather here. Of course, I like the sun for a month or so, but once it’s here, I want the rain back. Every now and then, I do schedule a beach trip. I’ve done a road trip down to California. I’ve been to Florida, to Hawaii and even though it’s not necessarily sunny, the Oregon beaches are very pretty. I love to travel. ”

“I’m a big reader. I also write science fiction, fiction and fantasy. Generally, I write space operas—think Star Wars. Elliot Bay Bookstore is awesome. I’ll come up on a Saturday, go to brunch at Portage Bay, take a walk around Greenlake and head over to the bookstore where I’ll wander around, pick out a book and read and write in their café.  That’s a super nice day for me. I also enjoy going to different author events. I recently attended one at the UW bookstore with John Scalzi.”

“The hook for me at City Light is the fact that it’s a green utility. I did water quality testing when I was a kid and had a crash course in environmentalism so it’s been an interest my whole life. When I was researching jobs, I came across the utility and learned that we have our own dams and do hydroelectricity which is awesome.”

“There’s a history of public service in my family. We’ve worked for the state, the IRS, have served in the Marines, Navy and Airforce—service has been sort of our thing. Which is why I was attracted to working for City Light. What I like about working in public service is the mission. It’s not about the bottom line—everyone here is united by our mission. I want my work to mean something and contribute to a cause that I believe in.”

Thank you, Erin, for your contributions to the utility these past eight months, for sharing your love of the PNW and for your commitment to public service!

Seattle City (spot)Light: Tomas Todd

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Electrical Construction and Maintenance Supervisor Tomas Todd (aka T. Todd) just celebrated 20 years with Seattle City Light. Based at the utility’s North Service Center, his role encompasses the prioritization of the Relay Unit’s projects and support to the Distribution, Transmission and Power Production electrical systems. This includes Relay testing to meet the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) compliance regulations.

This week, we shine the (spot)Light on Tomas for his previous occupation: 21 years of service with the United States Navy Seabees. “They told me that the ‘Navy is not just a job, it’s an adventure’ and I wanted to see the world,” said Tomas. And see the world he did—from the tropical region of the Marianas Islands to the arid countries of South East Asia and North Africa.

Tomas still serves his community today. Involved with local causes in Edmonds, he’s spent the last 12 years on the 4th of July planning committee and serves on the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  “You know what the Navy stands for? Never Again Volunteer Yourself,” he joked. “But I can’t help it. I enjoy working with others.”

Tomas diving the deep blue sea.

“Everyone thinks the Navy is ships, submarines and aircrafts, but I was in the occupational 13 field as a Constructional Electrician, responsible for the electrical power production, transmission and secondary supply. There are approximately 7,500 Seabees assigned worldwide. The Seabees was formed during WWII to provide horizontal, utility and vertical construction in times of conflicts and contingencies, something that today is ongoing in a few parts of the world. During peacetime, the Seabees provide civic action support throughout the world. Most recently, they completed building schools in Ethiopia and Honduras, as well as humanitarian assistance to several other areas.”

“The military is probably the most diverse organization. People come from all over—it’s a mix of ages, social areas, ethnicities and religious backgrounds. It exposed me to different ways of life which allowed me to understand and experience other ideas. I think the Navy was part of my success in being a people person. I like to learn about people’s ideas, thoughts and cultures, especially when it comes to food, languages and traditions.”

“I always wanted to come to Seattle. I liked the idea of everything being green—it’s the Emerald City! I also like the ocean. I’ve dived most of my life, even in the Navy. I decided to drop my anchor here because it had the best opportunities for me.”

“I try to dive a couple times a month and take advantage of being close to the Puget Sound and Canada. I also taught diving at my local dive shop and dove Alki beach often. Diving is great pastime because it allows you to explore a different environment that isn’t seen every day. It also changes with the time of year which brings different species of flora and fauna. Underwater photography is a great way to capture these dives and can be shared with others or kept as mementos. The most interesting critter I’ve encountered in these waters was a Giant Pacific Octopus.”

Tomas, we salute you for 21 years of service to our country! We also thank you for your contributions to your community, the City of Seattle and all over the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle City (spot)Light: John Abraham

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Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, John Abraham has been a public servant for the City of Seattle for more than 30 years. He joined the utility five years ago, but not before serving 26 years as a police officer for the Seattle Police Department. At age 17, he entered the Canadian Army, later transferring to the Canadian Navy (too much salt water in his veins) which would be followed by his time with the United States military. “Yup! I have a dual citizenship,” he happily shared.

As City Light’s Safe Driving Program Coordinator, John teaches safe driving tactics to utility employees. John works at the North Service Center Annex and resides in Mukilteo with his wife Joan, who also shares his love of adventure. “We just purchased a RV and can’t wait to use it along the coast,” he said. In this week’s (spot)Light, John talks rides, dives and drives.

John with his ride

“I’ve been riding motorcycles for almost 55 years. My wife and I take trips on our Harley. We’ll often hop on a road we’ve never been on and see where it takes us. Last year we went to Kamloops, British Columbia. We took the back roads and cruised Highway 1. We spent a week on the road just riding. It was a great time.”

“I’m also a scuba diver. I dived in the Navy and in almost every major ocean. I especially enjoy the beautiful waters of Hawaii. Here, I like the underwater park in Edmonds. Divers from all over the world come to the Pacific Northwest—they’re convinced it has some of the most beautiful diving in the world. Which it does.”

“When I was hired, the utility was having trouble with preventable collisions. My job was to reduce those collisions and provide training (both defensive driving and simulator) in addition to classroom and on-site instruction. When I started, the number of preventable crashes averaged 60-70 per year. The past three years’ preventable collisions have averaged about 30 per year. My new concentration is cone course training to emphasize pivot point and backing techniques. I’d like to focus more on that in the coming year.”

“Law enforcement was a great career. Many people don’t realize that while your profession is law enforcement, your job is to go home at the end of the day. The same is true here. Whether you work for City Light as a line worker or in administration, the job is to go home at the end of the day. That’s why I emphasize defensive driving tactics and do everything I can to help people pay attention to their driving. As the seasons change, I provide City Light with any changes to traffic situations. An example of this is the spring when the dusty motorcycles and bicycles come out of the garage from winter hibernation and hit the roads.”

“One of my first instructors taught me that the most important components in law enforcement are common sense and communication skills. I try and live by that. I’ve taken courses that have allowed me to learn how people think and what their attitudes are. When I came to the utility, I applied that way of thinking in my new role. It’s important to adapt your mindset and learn how to communicate with everyone.  This is a great, hardworking organization and I enjoy working with all the folks.”

Thank you, John, for your incredible years of service and for doing your part in keeping us safe! Ride on!

Seattle City (spot)Light: Igor Bulanyy

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Senior Electrical Engineering Specialist Igor Bulanyy is no stranger to the trade. Celebrating his five-year anniversary with the utility this year, Igor’s rich knowledge of the sector includes a Master’s degree in electrical engineering from Kiev Polytechnical Institute and more than 45 years of industry experience. “I’ve being doing electricity my whole life,” said Igor. “I became interested in it in 8th grade as a hobby and then it became my profession.”

Igor works out of the North Service Center Annex and lives in Edmonds with his wife. In this week’s (spot)Light, he shares his interests, including one buzz-worthy passion: beekeeping.

Igor with an educational poster he made about the benefit of bees and their impact

 

“I’ve been lucky to meet good people at City Light. My partner Carey Deutscher was (and still is) my main mentor in this position. Our job duties are challenging. We investigate and interpret any power quality related issues for our customers. Things like radio frequency interferences and electromagnetic fields. My personal interpretation of this position is an ‘electric detective.’ Every case is different which provides me with an endless opportunity to learn something new. It’s a challenge I really enjoy.”

“In 1995, my wife and I came to Seattle because we thought it had similar weather conditions as our home country of Ukraine. The combination of the forests, rivers, lakes and mountains with the city’s urban infrastructure gives us an opportunity to implement our optimistic intentions, hobbies and use our skillsets in the best ways.” “I have many hobbies, but my dominant interest is beekeeping. It’s something I was learning from my father for about 30 years. It was here in the states that I had the chance to take this on by myself and, over the years, the hobby has turned into a lifestyle—a permanent necessity.”

“I’m a member of the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association, and keep my bees in a rented backyard space in the university district. After work, I ride the bus and make a transfer to another bus to go take care of my bees. I do this at least twice a week and on the weekend. Right now, I have four colonies. I’ve had as many as eight hives at a time—it just depends on the seasons and the conditions. The number of bees per hive also depends on the season. During winter, there can be 3,000-5,000 bees per hive and in the summer as many as 50,000 or more.”

“I never use gloves when I’m with my hives. I like to feel the detail of everything. However, if there’s a situation where I get stung, I take it as a very good benefit. Among beekeepers it’s known that bee venom can help lower arthritis. Bees aren’t only about pollination and honey—they offer other health-related benefits making them irreplaceable on our planet and in our lives.” “I encourage beekeeping for two reasons. The first is to share my experience and knowledge with others. A goal of mine is to encourage and assist people throughout the utility to learn more about bees. The second is that we cannot survive without bees. The bee colony is the ideal society—interesting, multi-dimensional and followed by instincts only. There’s something to learn from them.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Rose Feliciano

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Celebrating 15 years with the City of Seattle, Rose Feliciano is part of City Light’s Government and Legislative Affairs team where she’s served the utility since 2009. A Tennessee native, Rose moved to Southern California when she was nine, but ventured to the Pacific Northwest after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University (she holds a degree in Public Policy and Applied History). Currently, Rose resides in West Seattle where she enjoys her friendly neighborhood and its proximity to the baseball stadium (go Mariners!).

In this week’s (spot)Light, Rose dishes on her love for running and her role at City Light.

Rose (right) and Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon

“I run a lot. The SeaFair Triathlon is fun for me. I’ve also run the Boston Marathon four times. It’s quite an amazing race…26.2 miles of party. That town knows how to put on marathon. The entire community is involved. Before the race, everyone is asking ‘Are you racing?’ and saying ‘Have fun’ ‘Good luck’ and Welcome.’ After the race you hear ‘Congratulations’  ‘You’re a champion’  and ‘We hope you come back.’ They just totally embrace it. It’s the longest running marathon in the United States, and you must qualify to compete. It’s humbling in a lot of ways.”

“I started running because I was getting bored with my workout routine. I had a friend signing up for a sprint triathlon so I joined her. It was suggested that I try Team in Training which provides coaching and raises money for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It’s great because you have a group of people that you train with for this good, worthy cause. Each race is dedicated to an honored patient—someone who has gone through treatment or is going through treatment. I’m happy to say that I’m good friends with the family of my honored patient. It’s amazing because it reminds you how fortunate you are to do something like this. I’m not going to cure cancer, but if I can raise a little money that helps someone get a little closer to figuring it out, then that’s a good thing.”

“I work in Government and Legislative Affairs covering state issues. So, I’m the face of Seattle City Light down in Olympia where I lobby on behalf of the utility. I also work closely with the City’s Office of Intergovernmental Relations. My focus is on key priorities for the utility. This last year I concentrated on the electrification of transportation and seeking authority for public utilities to get the authority to provide incentives to our customers for electrification.”

“My mentor taught me a valuable lesson—the importance of honesty and trust. That if you’re honest with your coworkers, with decision makers and with others, people will trust you. Whether you’re sharing good or bad news, people will know what you’re saying is true. I found, that in my profession, your word and reputation is everything. If people don’t believe you, then you’re not going to be successful. Being truthful is a kindergarten concept, but it’s still applicable. It’s not just about being honest with someone else, it’s about being honest with yourself and knowing what makes you happy and fulfilled. Figuring that out makes a big difference.”

Congratulations, Rose, on celebrating 15 years with the City of Seattle! Keep on running!

Q&A with City Light’s Pre-Apprentice Lineworkers

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In the spirit of celebrating Lineworker Appreciation Day, it’s important to recognize the different steps to becoming a lineworker. And there is no better group to share the start of that journey than City Light’s pre-apprentice lineworkers.

The Seattle City Light Pre-Apprenticeship (PAL) Program designates 1,040 hours of training that are specifically designed to teach the fundamental knowledge needed to perform linework, including crew assistance, equipment preparation and direct work with line crews. Upon successful completion of the PAL Program, participants will be hired as lineworker apprentices and begin the 3 ½ year/7,000-hour apprenticeship program.

A fiercely competitive process with more than 500 applicants and multiple levels of testing/interviewing, City Light has five PALs—four men, one woman— in its current program. The group began their pre-apprentice work in February and is comprised of Washington natives from Sedro-Woolley, Seattle, Port Townsend and Puyallup with one member from Savannah, Georgia. The educational background is a mix of AA and BA degrees, trade school and service in the United States Marine Corps.

L-R: Na’Quelle Davis, Zach Lynd, Ryan Schoeneman, Isaac Tenney, Alex Wiley

What are you most excited or passionate about with the PAL program? What motivates you?

Isaac Tenney: “I’m just happy to be outside. I wouldn’t do well behind a desk. The fact that I get to do something I enjoy all day…in the rain or the sun…I just enjoy the outdoors.”

Zach Lynd: “What motivates me the most is my family. To be able to have a career where I’m able to support them and one that I enjoy as well. Being outside and working with brothers and sisters who love the same thing you do is motivating.”

Ryan Shoeneman: “I like the mental and physical challenges of this job. There’s something new every day. No job is the same which challenges me a lot. Like the rest of my brothers and sisters, I love being outside. This is something that I’ve wanted a long time and I’m excited to get to do what I do.”

Na’Quelle Davis: “One thing that motivates me is seeing how things work behind-the-scenes. You pass by powerlines every day, but you don’t know what’s going on and how it works. I like learning how powerlines operate—to work on them and see how everything is put together. I get to go home knowing that ‘Hey, I did something today.’ I can go back and look at something I did.”

Alex Wiley: “I like working outdoors. I like a job that’s physically demanding. I grew up playing team sports so I like the aspect of working toward a common goal with a group of people. I like being able to provide for my family. I like the challenge of learning new things. I worked in a different career for 13 or 14 years before and I feel like I learned all there is to know about that so coming into this situation and learning something completely new is challenging and exciting.”

How did you end up in this role? Was it something you always wanted to do? Or did something or someone inspire you to pursue this line of work?

IT: “I’ve wanted to work for Seattle City Light since high school. My brother works for City Light, and I thought about applying right after graduation, but I wanted to serve my country. So, I joined the Marine Corps first. Even throughout my enlistment, I was always looking forward to applying to City Light and now I’m fortunate to be here. My brother is an inspiration for me wanting to work here.”

ZL: “My uncle pushed me in this direction. About four years ago, I was thinking about getting out of the Marine Corps and had no thought of what to do. He mentioned this trade to me and ever since, I’ve been running toward it—doing research on schools and anything else that could help me progress in this field. Shortly after I got out of the Marine Corps, I went straight to Northwest Lineman College and went through their program which was very beneficial in my mind. They teach the fundamentals of climbing and electricity which gives an advantage to those wanting to enter this career field.”

RS: “I started in 2008 as a utility construction worker apprentice with Seattle City Light. I hadn’t worked around a lot of overhead crews—we were in a separate unit. It wasn’t until I was fortunate to go to Newhalem for a job with some of the linemen and got to see what they do, that I was around the crews. Although, it was a unique job and a unique situation, after that I didn’t want to be a laborer anymore—I wanted to be a lineman. That was what inspired me. Four and half years later, here I am.”

ND: “Growing up, I didn’t specifically want to be a lineworker, but I grew up around a lot of longshoremen. So, I wanted to do something where I worked with my hands, but, of course, being a woman everyone was like ‘No, you should try and do something different. Don’t work with your hands necessarily.’ When I got out of college I thought ‘Well, ok. I tried that, but let me go ahead and try this.’ I ending up finding a lineworker job posting right when I moved to Seattle, but they weren’t hiring yet. So as soon as it popped up again, I jumped right on it. For me, it was something new to work with. A very different kind of talent—it’s a mental and a physical challenge which I like.”

What have you learned in this role from the people around you? From your peers? The crews? Your instructors?

IT: “I went to Northwest Lineman College and thought that I knew how to climb well. Then I came here and, well, it’s tough. I thought I knew certain skills, but I realized I’m missing some fundamentals. Since getting to climb school, I’ve improved a lot—more than I expected. Every day on the crews, I learn something new that I can take with me.”

ZL: “Every day at work is a complete learning curve. We’re constantly receiving new information…we try to adapt to it and run with it. There’s so much to take in all at once. We’re all starting off at the bottom and working our way up. I think it’s important to know your place and be comfortable in what you know in that you don’t do something that you’re not capable of yet. It’s important to ask lots of questions and try to get as much information that you can from those above you have that knowledge.”

AW: “For me, there are two things. Number one is safety. It’s very important to come out here and work hard, but also to go home to your family at night. No question is dumb question. If you don’t realize or understand why something is the way it is, ask questions. Teamwork would be number two. You rely on your brothers and sisters out here to succeed. It’s very important to have each other’s back and watch out for one another.”

Why is this job—this position—important to you? What are you most looking forward to in this role?

IT: “I want to top out. I want to be a journeyman. That’s my goal. I’d be happy to do it through Seattle City Light. So, yeah, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting my J-card.”

RS: “I’m looking forward to learning more and topping out. Being able to be a safe and efficient lineman in this trade. Just try my hardest to carry on a tradition of a lot of great people that have worked here and paved the way for us. Hopefully, I can live up to those standards and be a great journeyman.”

ND: “The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is being able to look back 30-40 years from now and say ‘I know this body of work so well.’ That I can say that I’ve been doing this for so long. The entire time we’ve been meeting people who have been here 20, 30, 40 years. I want to know something that well.”

AW: “I’m looking forward to obviously learning all that I can and being the best lineworker that I can, but also looking forward to working with a group of people and developing relationships that I’m going to have far beyond my years here at the company.”

Any advice you’d like to share for those looking to follow this career path?

IT: “Work hard if you’re trying to get on. Getting a commercial driver’s license beforehand helps. Just work hard and be humble.”

ZL: “Trade school. Any climbing school you can get into, do that. It’s worth the money. It’s expensive up front, but it pays out in the long run. Apply everywhere. Take any job—even if it’s a janitor position within an electric company. If that’s what’s available, take the job and build your way up through the company to the position that you want. Put yourself out there and see what’s offered back.”

Learn more about City Light’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program here.

Seattle City (spot)Light: James Alexander

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James Alexander is a line crew chief for Seattle City Light operating out of the South Service Center. He started in 1999 as part of the pre-apprenticeship lineworker program and in the last eighteen years he has risen through the ranks to his position in charge of an overhead line crew. We sat down with James to discuss his journey at City Light for Lineworker Appreciation Week.


Line Crew Chief James Alexander at the South Service Center

“We had a class of twelve when I started the Pre-Apprenticeship Lineworker program. I didn’t know too much about the job before then. My stepdad worked for Tacoma Power, and he asked me if I was afraid of heights. I told him I didn’t care for heights but I wasn’t afraid of heights. I figured I’d give it a shot,” said James.

“I took the test twice; the first time I made it to the interview round, but didn’t get a seat. The second time, I got into the program. There were almost two thousand applicants, so it was pretty competitive.”

“When you’re first hired, you have six months as a pre-apprentice. At the end of five months you take climbing school. Then you’re given another round of testing to enter the apprenticeship. One night a week during your apprenticeship, you have four hours of book time after you’ve worked your day. Even after you finish your apprenticeship, you learn every day on the job. You’re always learning different tools and techniques.”

“After seeing some of the senior guys retire, I decided to step up and take on a leadership role. I had good training from my former crew chiefs that I’d worked for, so I was prepared for it.”

“Depending on the crew size, I’m a working crew chief or on safety watch. Much of the work is safety; running the jobs and planning the jobs takes a lot of planning to make sure nobody gets hurt. There is a lot of responsibility involved. We work hard to make it home to our families safe every day, hopefully with all of our fingers and toes intact.”

“I’ve always been a hands-on person; I learned that from my grandfather. I like being outside and having a different problem every day. One day I might be working on a 20-30 foot pole, and the next I might be working on a 120 foot tower. I’m like to see what I’m working on. With overhead work, you can trace the lines and see what’s going on.”

“There are some sacrifices to being a lineworker. We get calls in the middle of the night. I’ve missed a lot of soccer games and dinners and full eight hours of sleep. It was a little grueling, but it pays off in the end.”

“It’s all about keeping the lights on for everybody else. We have a lot of pride in our work when we are out there. Even if we are cold and wet, we know we are working to keep people warm.”

A Day in the Life of a Lineworker

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Recognized as one of the most dangerous professions in the United States, lineworkers are known for their strong physical endurance, mental toughness and undeniable spirit of camaraderie. Every day, more than 117,000 of these skilled professionals help deliver electrical power from generating stations into homes, businesses and other facilities.

Being a lineworker is a physically demanding job—partly because of the tasks at hand and partly due to the exposure of weather conditions (e.g. rain, snow, extreme heat). One job might require climbing a 100-foot pole while the next might demand installation and repair work in 40 mph wind gusts. From construction and troubleshooting to transmission/distribution and the maintenance of electrical power systems, it’s no wonder lineworkers are often referred to as the heart of a utility.

We couldn’t let National Lineworker Appreciation Day slip by without shining a spotlight on one of our crews. Enter Crew Chief Vinod Kumar and his team. Working together for two years, it’s obvious the group enjoys each other’s company just as much as they enjoy their jobs. We sat down with the group to get a glimpse of what a day on the job looks like and what they value most about their roles.

L-R: Vinod Kumar, Fred Bolar, Cole Dennett, Jeff Anderson
(not pictured Pre-Apprentice Lineworker Ryan Shoeneman)

 

Can you walk us through a timeline of a “typical” day at work, from morning to end?

Vinod Kumar: “Overhead line crews begin the day at 7:45 a.m. Every day begins with our safety stand down. This involves all crew members from every crew on the dock and our supervisors. Crews are updated with information they need to know from the previous day. We’ll also share updates like classes or safety training. After that, the Crew Chief discusses the job(s) for the day with their crew. Afterward, we’ll order any material that is needed from the warehouse (if we don’t already have it). Once everything is compiled, we leave the dock for the job site and take our coffee break on the way. When we arrive, we make the work site safe by displaying any required signage that informs the public there is work being done in the immediate area. Before anyone leaves the ground to start work, we’ll discuss the job one last time in what we call a ‘tailgate meeting’ which informs all crew members of potential hazards and ensures that everyone is on the same page. Safety is the most important part of our job! We normally stop at 11:45 to take our lunch. However, there are times when we must work through our lunch (usually if there is an outage to customers). Once the job is complete, we’ll get back to the shop to unload the material, clean up, and go home at 4:15 p.m.”

You mentioned an overhead crew—can you please explain what that means?

VK: “City Light has two types of line crews—overhead and underground. I’m an overhead crew chief. Our crew works on the powerlines that are installed above ground or overhead as we call it. Anything involving the lines overhead is attended to by our crews. Some places have powerlines underground. That’s the work of our underground crews. There are also some instances where a single pole will have both overhead customers and underground customers.”

Tell us about your customers. Who do you serve?

VK: “We serve the rate payers in the City of Seattle. That includes companies like Boeing and Nucor Steel all the way to a tiny house. If a business or residence is in City Light’s service territory and they have power, they’re our customer. We also have internal customers like the warehouse, engineers, customer service, etc.”

Can you describe the culture of the lineworker environment? Can you share what it’s like to be part of the team and what that means?

 Jeff Anderson: “We’re fortunate our crew gets along so well. We enjoy ourselves when we come to work. Because the work is dangerous, I feel like there’s more of a personal connection—it’s a camaraderie. We’re more than just co-workers, and I think that contributes to us having more fun on the job and hanging out together outside of work. I care about what’s going on with these guys.”

Cole Dennett: “We all have each other’s back and help one another. There might be something I don’t know as well as Jeff or Fred, and that’s ok because I rely on them for that information. In turn, they rely on me for what I know.”

Ryan Shoeneman: “When I started, everyone said that this would be my second family. We work a lot of long hours. Sometimes we spend more time with our crews than at home which builds camaraderie. One second you’re talking about a job, and the next, you’re talking about how your kid started walking. I mean, we’re going to each other’s weddings…spending time outside of work together…”

JA: “I agree. I’ve gone on vacations with people that I work with.”

CD: “Yeah. You went to my wedding and that was ten hours away.”

JA: “Yes, I did. I drove ten hours to get to his wedding and then flew to Mexico with another guy I work with after that. Family is probably a fair word to use when describing our relationships.”

Are there any special rules or sayings that your crew abides by?

VK: “Safety is the slogan for everybody. If you’re doing dangerous work, everyone must take care of each other. Sometimes it’s a very pressurized job and we must get it done safely in a timely manner.”

What are the skills needed to perform this line of work?

CD: “On-the-job experience will come with time, but I think one thing to consider for someone coming in off the street is their level of physical endurance. Sometimes we’re working 24-48 hours. If you don’t have the physical endurance to do this job, it’s not only going to wear you out mentally, but physically. If you’re not in it, you can get hurt easily. It’s not a ten-pound crossarm, it’s a 110-pound crossarm, and you don’t want to drop that 40 or 50 feet.”

JA: “The ability to keep calm under pressure is very important. Things won’t always go as planned and what we’re working with is dangerous. If you find yourself in a position that isn’t exactly how you wanted it to go and you can’t keep calm and work yourself out of that situation in a safe manner, that’s when people get hurt. I think almost more so than being able to do the job in a perfect condition, you need to be able to do the job in the imperfect condition—in the worst scenario, you need to be able to perform at your best.”

FB: “You also, for lack of a better word, must have a little crazy in you. We do stuff that isn’t normal. No one wants to climb up a pole anywhere from 50-100 feet. It’s unnatural. You can always fall off a pole, or once you get to the top of it, you’re dealing with electricity. Normally as a kid, you’re taught to stay away from electricity. So, it’s good to have that adventurous quality and mentality to do this work.”

What keeps you motivated coming to work each day? Aside from your crew, why do you enjoy this job? Why is it important? What does it mean to you?

CD: “I’m not in an office. I’m outside every day. That’s what I like about it. On the worst days, yeah, I want to be inside, but on the sunny days, you can stop…say…near Lake Washington and see the reflection of all mountains with Rainier in the background. Or you stop by the Sound and watch the ferries go by…it’s just beautiful landscape. Especially when you get above on the hilltop. Jeff’s always taking panoramic photos.”

JA: “There’s gratification from taking a storm call when the power is out and it’s cold outside. There’s definite satisfaction to hear someone yell ‘Thank you’ from the window after the lights come back on. I also like doing something where I can see what I accomplished. From a young age, I always knew that I didn’t want to attend a four-year college because I wanted to put stuff together with my hands. When I leave work every day, I can look back and see what I accomplished. It’s not just moving a stack of paper across my desk—I put something together and now it’s functioning and serving a purpose.”

What advice would you give someone seeking this line of work?

RS: “I think it was good for me to start at the bottom and work my way up from being a laborer. It was good to see all the different areas and careers that City Light had to offer. To me, the line worker position was most appealing, but I didn’t just come off the street and say ‘I want to be a lineman.’ I feel like I had a little bit of head start…being familiar with the area…with some of the tools…the groundwork. Being a material supplier, made me feel better about getting into the apprenticeship program. I felt comfortable and had more knowledge under my belt before I jumped in. If you didn’t go to lineman college, I would say get an entry level position.”

JA: “My advice is to make sure it’s something you want to do. Do a little research before you jump in because it’s not for everyone. When it’s good, it’s good. When it’s bad, it’s bad. You mentally need to be in place where you can deal with the bad. When apprentices come through, we’ll teach them how to do the job—it’s a learned skill—but you can’t teach someone to have the right attitude.”

VK: “Patience is also important.”

CD: “It’s a full-time job with four years of work and school. It doesn’t get easier as you progress. There’s more pressure and the job gets more dangerous. When you’re up in the air with somebody else, you’re relying on each other to stay safe. So, that’s an added pressure on top of schoolwork and attending class. Many people don’t realize that there’s school on top of a full-time job so just be prepared for that. Long nights.”

CD: “You’ve also got to learn to swallow your pride and get rid of the ‘I know this’ and ‘I know that’ attitude. Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom and work your way to the top.”

RS: “Flexibility is also important. It was easier when I was a single man, coming in without a family—I could take a call out whenever I wanted. Now, I’m married and have a son and, well, it’s not so easy anymore. Going to school a couple nights a week and then getting called back in, it’s like ‘Honey, can I work this weekend?’ Thankfully, I have a loving wife that supports my career, but there is give and take. It’s hard to find that good balance between family and work. You can’t make everyone happy so you must learn to pick your battles and be flexible.”

Thank you to all our crews for the incredible work and heart that’s poured into each job 365 days a year!