EJ Electric/IBEW Local 3
- Born and raised on Long Island, New York.
- Married to his wife, Dani, and they have a five-year-old son named Kevin Anthony.
- Enjoys being out in nature, going to the beach and swimming in the ocean. Also loves being in the woods and going bow hunting in the fall and winter.
- His father, a heavy equipment operator, worked closely with lineworkers. He encouraged him to apply for the apprenticeship, and once he started climbing, he couldn’t get enough.
- Currently in Queens, New York, doing a hot 27 kV reconductor/pole change out. He’s enjoying the work, and he never wants to stop learning.
- Loves his classic hand tools and impact gun.
Early Years
My first job was on a rear prop pole change-out crew. It was a great group of guys who had me in my hooks every day and taught me a lot right out of the gate. Shortly after I topped out as a journeyman lineworker, I started running a crew, and that continued for five years. I got to run some big jobs all over Long Island, New York.
Day in the Life
I’m currently a journeyman lineworker on a three-person crew in Queens, New York, doing 27 kV junction cut and kicks almost every day. I really enjoy working in the city because there are so many different challenges. Just being able to wake up every day and go to work to solve another puzzle is a great feeling.
Safety Lesson
When I was an apprentice, there was a capacitor bank that didn’t open up correctly and drew an arc that went phase to ground. Seeing that arc draw across and explode the way it did ingrained an image I’ll never forget. It’s a constant reminder that everything we’re doing is very serious, and we can’t get complacent. Know what’s going to happen with every move you make, and take extra precautions to protect yourself, even when things are unlikely to go wrong. It just takes one little malfunction or misstep that will cost you your life.
Memorable Storm
I drove down from Long Island to help restore power following Hurricane Irma down in Miami for just about a month. Entire pole lines were taken out and trees down everywhere. For the first day after the storm, we were on Daytona Island and had to wait for the flooding to go down before we could cross the bridge and get off. When we got to Miami, they put us on all the rear prop crane sets. The bird dog told us that other contractors were turning those jobs down so we got to stay longer just setting new poles and stringing wire.
Future Plans
I would do it 100 times over. The places this trade has brought me and the world I’ve gotten to see because of it is such a reward. Being able to get thrown into messes and being able to figure it out is a great feeling. God blessed me to be able to do this type of work. I want to do as much as I can in every aspect of my life. But no matter where I am in the future, I feel like I have to be involved in line work to some degree.
