JOB: Crew leader, Georgia Power Co., Atlanta
WHAT I DO: When the lights go out, Garmon, 48, and his Georgia Power line crew are among the first responders to get them back on. He's braved ice storms and followed hurricanes, including Katrina, to restore electrical power quickly both in metro Atlanta and throughout the eastern part of the country. He and his crew assess damage, replace poles and repair cable. Although Garmon doesn't climb poles much anymore, he has seen the aftermath of plenty of bad weather. In 28 years at Georgia Power, he said he's missed only six storms. "Once a storm hits, it's our goal to get the power back on."
WHAT GOT ME INTERESTED IN THIS: "When I was 15, I was home from school and saw a guy climbing a pole. That was so cool. That was a challenge. I thought I'd like to do something like that. I like challenges."
BEST PART OF MY JOB: "Working with the other individuals I work with and mentoring people. Safety is No. 1. It's my job to make sure they're safe." The biggest part of his job involves the safety of his four-person crew, he said. "I make sure they go home to their families every day." Getting the power back on can be dangerous. "You have to respect electricity, not be scared of it." He added: "If I didn't like this, I wouldn't be here. I really enjoy helping other folks get their power restored. The way storms come, that burdens a family and creates hardship. When we get the lights on, that gives them hope."
MOST CHALLENGING PART: "Going out on a storm. [In a hurricane,] what used to be is no longer. We're re-creating, bringing things back to life. We have to visualize what was there. In Katrina, we didn't even know where the poles used to be." When Garmon and other electric workers arrived in the areas of destruction, he said, "I never saw anything like that. TV didn't tell the tale. We got there before the cameras." While hurricanes cause more damage, he said dealing with ice storms is worse. "In the winter, it's cold and you're more subject to accidents from trees and the ice."
WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT MY JOB: "Any wires can still be energized," which means they are dangerous, perhaps fatal, if a person touches them.
WHAT KEEPS ME GOING: "Motivation from the customers and the folks I work with. You like doing things for folks." He recalled a post-storm trip to Connecticut, where a woman desperately needed telephone service because of her sick husband. "The damage was so bad, we couldn't restore her power that day, but she was in urgent need." He stepped outside his role with the power company and got her phone working again. "From her reaction, you'd have thought we restored power to New York City."
PREPARATION NEEDED FOR THIS JOB: "Basic climbing skills and respect for electricity." Garmon said power companies train workers about safety, controls, equipment and technology. Most line workers are at least high school graduates. After initial training, much of the rest is through on-the-job experience. "You also need to know if you're an outside or inside person," he said. Line work is outdoors - often in bad weather and at night. Garmon started work at Georgia Power right out of high school in plant maintenance and worked his way up to line crew leader. "The money's good, but it's not about the money," he said.
- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.