Patrick Dotson was headed north on the Long Bridge when he got that sinking feeling. It wasn’t the snow sliding in sideways, or being called back in to work late in the evening. Sandpoint was dark — all of it. From the old Power House to the top of Schweitzer, no lights shone. It’s going to be a long couple nights, he thought.

Jim Kane got the call as he, too, was headed into town. The person on the other end of the line relayed that everything between Noxon, Mont., and Newport, Wash.; from Sagle to the Canadian border was completely out of power.

“Everybody loses power,” says Dotson, a journeyman lineman with 22 years’ experience. “Only a few people can restore it. We’re those people.”

“It’s a physically and mentally tough job,” says Kane, Avista’s operations manager for Bonner and Boundary counties, “dealing with heights and electricity. Not everyone can do it.”

He’s right. During significant events, a lineman’s shift stops only when the power is back on, or after 36 hours of straight work. You read that right: 36 hours. Linemen have to train themselves to be able to focus for such long periods. Patrick tells about the major storm in December 2017:

“We were working on Bottle Bay Road, standing in the gully. We could hear treetops snapping in the dark. It’s like E.F. Hutton — when you hear that sound, everybody listens. We had just communicated to the trimmers (a tree crew) that they were energized to the five-mile point when a big tree fell across the line, destroying our whole day’s work. We had to start over again.”

According to Kane, Avista had 22 line crews and four tree crews working that event. “Our goal is simply to bring in as much manpower as can be managed safely; and to get the power back on safely and as quickly as possible.”

Referring to the danger that comes with the job, Kane said, “Avista’s linemen are well-trained to take the hazard out of hazardous situations.” The safety awards lining the location’s breakroom stand witness. Even so, things can get exciting; as Dotson said:

“Back in ‘96 in Colville, I was putting a wire back up on top of a pole when a tree came through the same stretch of wire. The impact knocked me off the pole and out of my gaffs (climbing shoes). I ended up hanging upside-down by my safety harness.” He made his way to the ground, where he composed himself. “Then I went back up and finished the job.”

These men are here for their customers 365 days a year, 24/7. They are always on-call; every night, every weekend. Their job is dangerous, and often frustrating. Kane had to repair the same wire on the same pole four times in one night.

Why do they do these jobs? “It’s hard to understand if you haven’t done it.” said Kane. “You get a sense of adventure and brotherhood; trusting your life to a coworker … It’s a passionate, close-knit group. The camaraderie is bigger than Sandpoint, bigger than Avista.”

Dotson agreed, and added, “When a storm causes a big problem, it isn’t just linemen out risking their necks to get the power back on. The gas department drive and work with us, and sometimes contractors get called in … It’s a team effort.”

Avista customers can do their part, too. By following a few simple rules, they can help limit the danger to the dedicated linemen:

- Never touch a downed wire. Even if it looks safe, you never know what could energize it; private generators and other sources can back feed at any time.

- Don’t drive over downed wires. Vehicles can become tangled with wires and make bigger, more dangerous messes.

- Report outages promptly. Myavista.com is a great place to report outages and to check the status of an outage. Also check Avista’s app, or call (800) 227-9187

- Keep clear of damaged utilities. After reporting the problem, stay back until qualified electrical personnel arrives. A line is only dead once it’s grounded; and only professionals can make that determination.