I’m proud to be part of the Kankakee Valley REMC team for many reasons, and one of the biggest is the commitment your co-op’s employees demonstrate to serving your needs. Every member of our team is focused on keeping members like you safe and comfortable.

This month, we’re asking members to pay extra attention to our team’s comfort and safety. April’s calendar includes Work Zone Awareness Week and Lineworker Appreciation Day. Both events call attention to the critical work co-op employees perform outdoors to ensure your electricity is there when you need it.

Our people work in all kinds of weather and inherently dangerous situations. For example, when one of our lineworkers is in their truck’s bucket while restoring power to someone’s home (maybe yours), they’re typically alongside some of our area’s busier roads. Working with high-voltage equipment demands their complete concentration so they can protect themselves.

Know what else deserves complete concentration? Driving your vehicle past them. Every member of our line crews can share scary stories of speeding vehicles in their work area when restoring power to someone’s home. They have seen drivers concentrating intently on their phones as they have shot past their work vehicle. A few seconds of inattention can lead to tragedies for all involved.

When you’re driving and you see one of our trucks on the side of the road or one of our line crews looking up at power lines, please slow down and use caution. If you can change lanes or move to increase the distance between your vehicle and the workers, please do so. Also, pay attention to other drivers around you. Another driver who’s distracted or aggressive in a work zone can put you in danger, too.

I know there are times when we’re all in a hurry, but did you realize that slowing down to 45 mph from 55 mph through a 5-mile work zone adds less than a minute and a half to your trip?

Our lineworkers and everyone at Kankakee Valley REMC are focused on making your home and family as safe and comfortable as possible. When you protect their safety by driving carefully, you help ensure they get home safely to their families.