People Call Me “The Recloser”

I’ve served on Elmhurst Mutual’s line for years…quietly watching, always on guard.

When a limb falls on the line, I feel it instantly. It is my superpower. I shut the power off for just a moment…then try again to see if the limb is still there.

If the limb falls away, your lights come right back on. Just a quick blink, and you’re back to normal.

If it stays on the line, I’ll try a couple more times. Because if I can safely keep your power on, I will. Most times the limb falls harmlessly to the ground.

But if it won’t clear, I stay off – so nothing gets damaged and everyone stays safe.

During fire season, I’m more careful. When the ground is dry and the risk is high, I don’t keep trying. I blink once…and stay off. Because one spark in the wrong conditions is all it takes.

I’m retiring now; my watch is over. Don’t worry, I am tired, and my replacement is loaded with new technologies and can call the office when there’s trouble. I used to have to wait for the Lineman to come find me to check if I was OK.

I know an outage is never convenient. But every decision I made was for one reason: To take care of you.

That’s what your cooperative does, by the way – looking out for your power, your safety, and your community…every single day.