December 14, 2012
For Immediate Release
Contact: Cullen Werwie, 608-267-7303
Madison – Speaking to utility workers from across the state today, Governor Walker thanked the men and women who keep Wisconsin’s utility services reliable and who recently made significant sacrifices in response to Superstorm Sandy.
“Without a reliable power supply and telecommunications system, Wisconsin would not be as well-positioned for job growth as we are today,” Walker said. “We’ve got some of the most reliable services in the nation thanks to our dedicated utility workers. When there is a storm or outage, you can count on these folks to be out working on the lines and pipes day or night, rain or shine.“
Walker issued a proclamation declaring today Utility Worker Appreciation Day in gratitude for the dedication and bravery of Wisconsin’s lineworkers, gas technicians, telecommunications workers, and other energy delivery specialists to ensure access to reliable power.
402 utility workers from Wisconsin headed to places like New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and even Detroit to help over the past six weeks in response to Superstrom Sandy. Many slept in tents, trailers, and gymnasiums and worked 16-hour days to help restore power.
Governor Walker also thanked the men and women who picked up extra shifts and worked on weekends to ensure reliable service here at home while their colleagues were out East.
Governor Walker asked Governor Chris Christie to send a message in honor of the event. A link to the video can be found here.
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