Insights > Q&A with Jeffre Wagley on National Lineman Appreciation Day

Q&A with Jeffre Wagley on National Lineman Appreciation Day

By:

04/12/2016

Conducted by Phallan K. Davis

Jeffre Wagley is in his 16^th year at Entergy, and has 23 years in the trade altogether. A 1^st class lineman, he is the longest-serving lineman in the Cleveland network. In observation of National Lineman Appreciation Day, Wagley spends some time discussing his career at Entergy and the job of a lineman.

Thanks for joining us. Finish this sentence. The job of a lineman is…

The job of a lineman is really a lifestyle, and it requires personal sacrifices. In 15 years, I’ve only spent three Christmases with my family. But I wasn’t raised in my line career to not care. If my fellow lineman is out there working, I’ll be there too.

What advice do you have for linemen just starting out in their career?

I try to teach younger linemen to have respect for older linemen and for each other. Disrespect leads to inattention. Inattention leads to someone getting hurt. It only takes a split second for this to happen.   

Talk about the role community plays in your career.

I live in the very community where I work. After we get the lights back on, people will come up to me to say thank you.

In our conversation in the crew room, we discussed the camaraderie among linemen. What does it mean for you to be part of the Cleveland network?

The Cleveland network is a good place to work. When you go to another network to help out, you want them to want to work with you. And in Cleveland they find a network of linemen who are always willing to help.

Fun fact:

When Wagley first began his career as a lineman, he was afraid of heights. The third pole that he climbed was 100 feet tall so there went that fear.