HAZLETON, Pa. — It was all about speed, teamwork, and technique Saturday at the NSUJL Fallen Lineworker Benefit Rodeo held at City View Park in Hazleton.
"They all come out, and they're excited to come in, have a good time, and kind of mingle with other halls that they don't always see," said Katie Richardson, Fallen Lineworker Benefit Rodeo board director.
Crews gathered from all over Luzerne County and as far as way as California and Texas.
"We're just out here supporting the trade, and you know all the families," said Ian Davis, Scranton Lineman IBEW 1319.
Money raised goes to the National Sisterhood United for Journeymen Linemen to support families of injured or fallen lineworkers.
"We do IBEW linemen, and we give emotional support, physical support, and monetary to help out with bills and such like that," said Richardson.
The night before the rodeo, fallen lineworkers are honored in a lantern ceremony; the next day, the games begin.
"We're doing a couple of different events. Some of them are individual that you get to do, as you know, just yourself, and then we have them as team events. So it's a three-man team, and then you have one guy on the ground, two guys climbing, and just all work together to get the job done. Over here, we have a hurt man rescue that'd be simulating somebody gets hurt on the pole, and you have to rescue them. Bring them down so that you can get them to the authorities, and then we have certain ones over here we're changing out equipment and just simulating things we would do in the field," explained Ian.
For some families, it's an opportunity to see what their loved ones are up out in the field.
"Oh, I love it. We don't get to see it when he's actually working. So this is fun for us. To watch. It's like a field day for linemen," said Melaney Andrews, Palmerton.
It also provides an opportunity to make the bonds of this brotherhood and sisterhood stronger.
"It's definitely a brotherhood, both local and International. You can meet guys from California here, and it's all the same; we all get to be friends by the end of the day," added Ian.
Some of the line workers will have high enough scores to go on to compete in a larger competition in Kansas City in October.
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