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Florida salutes Gulf Power crews - Fort Walton Beach
James “Ski” Karzcewski was about to follow in his father’s footsteps as a milkman.
But 25 years ago this week, he took a different path and has been a Gulf Power lineman ever since.
As the state salutes line personnel from utilities across the state on Tuesday as part of Lineworker Appreciation Day, Karzcewski reflects on his career path.
“So my dream went from being a milkman to a lineman,” said Karzcewski, who is a Service Tech at Gulf Power's Fort Walton Beach office. “And I’ve never looked back. It’s something different every day. It’s rewarding and I’m still learning every day.”
He said customer expectations can sometimes be tough. But the team is committed to do whatever it takes to get our customers’ power back on.
“I’ve been blessed to work with great people,” said Karzcewski, whose brother is retiring later this year as a plant operator for Florida Power and Light. “We have respect for each other — and trust. Once you boom up, you are your brother’s and sister’s keeper.”
Gulf Power is proud to salute its lineworkers.
“In addition to their daily work, Gulf Power crews often are called to work at night and during holidays to ensure our customers get their power back on,” said Wendell Smith, Gulf Power Vice President of Power Delivery. “These men and women are truly heroes and this day is to honor them.”
Gulf Power has approximately 175 employees who work on the company’s transmission and distribution lines, which total more than 9,300 miles.
They have been especially busy this year in addition to their regular duties. Many were called away from their families in February during the ice storm in Pensacola and again in April when the floodwaters hit. In both events, they were able to restore power in less than 48 hours while working in hazardous conditions.
In 2012, the state Legislature made Aug. 26 Lineworker Appreciation Day in Florida. It was created through the efforts of lawmakers and Tracy Moore, the widow of a Lakeland lineman, who was killed while working.
Part of Gulf Power’s mission is to help other companies when natural disasters knock power out to hundreds of thousands of customers. Earlier this year, Gulf Power sent lineworkers to assist its sister company Georgia Power for a week following an ice storm. In 2013, Gulf Power sent crews out of state to assist other utilities on two different occasions. One of those was a trip to Alabama in March following a series of tornadoes. In December, crews worked to restore power in the Dallas area following an ice storm.
“Our award-winning lineworkers are committed to getting customers’ power back on, whether here in Northwest Florida or across the country,” Smith said. “That’s what they do and we’re proud they are being recognized for their efforts.”
Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 430,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely deliver affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible electric service to our customers while working to improve the communities we serve. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.”
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