Rob was nominated by his friend, Amy Di Leo, who said, “Being outside in the pouring rain… in the black of night… in someone else’s backyard is not something that’s part of many of our job descriptions. It is if you’re Rob McGrath, my coworker, and the Line Worker I nominate for WBAB’s First Responder Friday. Nighttime and rain aren’t the only challenging factors in this scenario. Add: working on high voltage electricity. Add: being 40 feet up on a utility pole with climbing spurs on your boots (because bucket trucks usually aren’t able to drive into rear property). Add: you could be up on that pole for hours working on an intricate piece of the restoration. Add: you’re often working alone. Rob lives in Mount Sinai. He works in Electrical Service in PSEG Long Island’s Emergency Services section and he’s been on the job nearly 20 years getting the lights back on for the people of Long Island. As a front-line electrical worker, Rob’s job could mean long days into nights… and long nights into days. He might be called in for storm duty or an emergency anytime – at three in the morning on a cold winter day; while at a family event on a sunny Saturday; or while hundreds of miles away on vacation.

“It’s a job where there is no room for error,” he told me, adding, “It’s not often we are awarded a second chance; that’s why we get it done safely the first time.” While the physical and mental aspects of the job are tangible and Rob and his fellow lineworkers must be on point every day, Rob says restoring power to communities and seeing those lights go on is what makes it all worth it. Besides that, Rob says, “It’s a different ‘office’ view – often from above the trees – on any given work day.” And that might make anyone’s workday a little better.

Rob wants to thank the people of Long Island for their patience while he and his colleagues are working on the lines; and I want to thank Rob and his colleagues for always approaching their job with the seriousness, care and safety necessary to get the job done.

Rob, thanks for all you do for the community. As a way of saying thanks, you will receive a $100 gift card for Moe’s Southwest Grill.

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