Hometown Helpers: Journeyman lineman helps power the community
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IDAHO FALLS — Every week, EastIdahoNews.com is introducing you to Hometown Helpers in our community. We want to spotlight firefighters, police officers, city workers, snowplow drivers and others who quietly keep our cities and counties running.
This week, we are featuring Rod Elliott, a journeyman lineman with Idaho Falls Power. He’s been working for the department for over 15 years.
Elliott and his coworkers take a lot of pride in their work. He helps keep the meters turning in Idaho Falls, makes sure residents have power to their homes and works so businesses can operate with electricity.
“I think people don’t realize how much it takes to get power to their house or to their coffee maker or their TV or their video game. There’s a lot that goes into it that people don’t see and there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes of where we are in backyards jumping fences at 3 o’clock in the morning trying to figure out why their power is out,” Elliott said.
He loves the work he does.
“It’s fun working with the guys. The most fun part is you go to a neighborhood at nighttime and there’s no power in the neighborhood and it’s completely black. No street lights, nothing. So it’s kind of fun to restore it because then it lights up the neighborhood,” he explained.
His office involves working in the elements when it’s either hot or cold. Elliott said that was the big draw that brought him to look into this career because he loves working outside.
Elliott’s work is dangerous and doesn’t really allow any mistakes.
“There’s a saying in our trade that a lineman’s pencil has no eraser. If we make a mistake, it’s usually (a) limb or your life. We have a pretty good safety culture here at Idaho Falls Power,” Elliott said.
He can work up in the air by a power pole or on the ground. Each day is different. Oftentimes, Idaho Falls Power will be there just like firefighters and police officers, to restore power.
“People forget that we are first responders,” he said.
Elliott shows every day that he’s a Hometown Helper by helping power the community.
If you know a Hometown Helper that we should feature, please email andrea.olson@eastidahonews.com.