SR 103 (LSB 6235XS (1) 89)

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 103

BY  KOELKER

A Resolution  designating March 8, annually, as Utility Worker Appreciation Day.

   WHEREAS, the profession of utility workers is steeped in personal, family, and professional tradition; and
   WHEREAS, utility workers are often first responders during storms and other catastrophic events, working to make the scene safe for their fellow public safety heroes; and
   WHEREAS, utility workers work with thousands of volts of electricity high atop power lines 24 hours per day, 365 days a year; and
   WHEREAS, utility workers keep electricity flowing by working in deep trenches, welding gas lines to seal or make repairs, performing leak detection, and ensuring pipeline integrity to safely deliver natural gas to customers; and
   WHEREAS, utility workers ensure that our water supply is safe and reliable and that our wastewater is cleaned before re-entering Iowa’s waterways; and
   WHEREAS, utility workers such as wind turbine technicians, power plant operators, line clearance tree trimmers, distributors, and dispatchers work around the clock to keep our generation plants, wind turbines, and solar energy sites operating efficiently and ensuring the flow of energy to businesses, homes, and factories even during the worst disasters; and
   WHEREAS, utility workers must often work under dangerous conditions far from their families to construct and maintain the energy infrastructure of the state of Iowa, especially during the Iowa derecho in August 2020 and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and utility workers have continued to maintain the state infrastructure despite all the obstacles with which they are confronted; and
   WHEREAS, utility workers put their lives on the line every day with little recognition from the community regarding the danger of their work; NOW THEREFORE,

   BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate designates March 8, annually, as Utility Worker Appreciation Day, and calls upon the people of Iowa to be particularly mindful of the dangerous work done under extreme conditions day in and day out by these dedicated public safety workers and show their appreciation at every opportunity.