Mike Coulombe will never forget a brief moment he had with a customer while working at a hardware store as a teenager.
He was filling the customer’s propane tank when the man asked if he knew what he wanted to do with his life. Coulombe was still young and not quite sure what path he would take, but the customer revealed that he was an electrical lineworker and he encouraged him to consider it as a future career.
“It was just a five minute conversation, but since then I’ve been trying to chase it I guess,” he said as he reflected on that chance encounter that proved life changing for the New Hampshire native.
Coulombe, who was also inspired by his grandfather’s successful career at a telephone company, eventually pursued employment in the utility industry and is now in his fourth year as a lineworker at Unitil, a provider of electricity and natural gas to customers in New England. He is now among the more than 120,000 lineworkers in the United States whose dedication to the profession will be celebrated on National Lineworker Appreciation Day, which will be held on April 18.
“Lineworkers play a critical role in keeping our communities powered, but oftentimes we don’t think about the work they perform until the lights go out during a storm or other unexpected event. They must be prepared to respond at any time of day and sometimes in difficult weather conditions to restore power as safely as possible. We appreciate their hard work and dedication to the profession and we hope others will take a moment to thank a lineworker for the important job they do as well,” Unitil External Affairs Director Alec O’Meara said.
National Lineworker Appreciation Day was established by Congress in 2013 to recognize line crews following the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy. The powerful storm struck the Northeast in 2012 and its impacts were felt throughout New England. The day is one way to honor the men and women who are dedicated to ensuring public safety and keeping the power on around the clock.
Working in the utility industry wasn’t something Unitil lineworker Brian Lajeunesse had considered when he was younger either, but his career with the company now spans 15 years. A native of Montreal, Canada, Lajeunesse chose line work after moving to the United States and marrying his wife, whose family owns a utility contracting company.
“It’s challenging. It’s not an easy job. There’s a learning curve at the beginning, but as you go along everything becomes routine,” he said.
Lajeunesse has found the job rewarding, especially when helping with outages following weather-related events. He traveled to Vermont last year to assist with restorations during maple sugaring season and recalled the day the crew restored power to a resident whose power line traveled up the side of a mountain. “When we got back there were jugs of maple syrup sitting there for us,” he said.
Coulombe has also found the job gratifying. He recalled working during a multi-day outage in 2022 that lasted into Christmas.
“We were working Christmas Eve and people came out with cookies and hot chocolate and some customers said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a couple of gift cards and I want you to take them.’ But we told them that we were OK, this is our job, and that you just being pleasant right now is really enough. The vast majority of customers are pretty fantastic. They’re very pleasant and very thankful,” he said.
Coulombe, who previously worked for a tree service company and a utility contractor, said the crews always appreciate the kind gestures from customers, adding, “It makes the long, tiring day a little bit better.”
For Lajeunesse, the daily scenery changes are what he likes the most about being a lineworker.
“I can’t imagine having a job where I would go and sit at a desk. I like working in different areas. You’re never in the same place twice,” said Lajeunesse, whose other passions have included serving as a pastor at a church in northern Maine and Quebec and writing science fiction movie scripts that he hopes to get picked up someday.
Coulombe encouraged anyone interested in a career as a lineworker to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about the profession.
“In high school, there are career days all the time. Go to any utility that might be there and give them a look. The trades need people. I would suggest linework, but I understand it’s not for everybody. At a career day go look and have a five-minute conversation and see if it’s something that you could be interested in,” he said.
Photo Captions:
- Front article photo: Unitil lineworker Brian Lajeunesse has worked for the company for 15 years.
- Top Photo: Mike Coulombe is now in his fourth year as a lineworker at Unitil.
