Montgomery Advertiser, Ala., Real People at Work Column

By Lloyd Gallman, Montgomery Advertiser, Ala.

Jan. 20–Mother Nature has thrown many things at Isaac Hendrix throughout his career as a lineman with Dixie Electric Cooperative.

The 16-year veteran has dealt with power outages caused by thunderstorms, high winds and even the occasional critter. Hendrix has been in construction most of his life, so he’s not bothered by the variety of working situations he runs into.

“You might be up a pole in 20-degree weather or crossing a river at 85 degrees,” he said, adding in his line of work, “you’d better not mind working with Mother Nature.”

Dixie Electric provides power to neighborhoods that are south and east of Montgomery, areas that are experiencing a growth boom. Hendrix oversees a crew of three people who handle underground and overhead construction, replace worn equipment and work power outages.

Hendrix and his crew also have gone to South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia and Louisiana to help communities that were hard hit by natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes.

“The workload has increased tremendously since I first got here, but they (Dixie Electric) still try to stay a close- knit family,” Hendrix said. “I enjoy the work, especially to see it done and the customers’ appreciation.”

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