Powerlines April 2026

A Day in the Life of a DMEA Lineman

by Jack Johnston, CEO

One of our line foremen recently shared a picture and titled it, “A View from my Office Today.” His crew worked in a bucket to replace several structures through a canyon near Hotchkiss. This job was important to improve the reliability of aging structures—it was part of our regularly scheduled maintenance.

A day in the life of a lineman can look very different from one day to the next. Sometimes it includes preventive maintenance, line inspections, equipment replacements, or new service installations. Other times, it means responding quickly when outages occur due to weather, vehicle accidents, or unexpected equipment failures. No matter the situation, our crews approach their work with a strong sense of duty to the communities we serve, restoring power for their neighbors, friends, and families.

How They Got Here

There are five apprentices across linemen crews at DMEA. Becoming a lineman requires extensive training, specialized certifications, and approximately four years of hands-on experience. It’s a profession that demands technical knowledge, physical endurance, and the ability to make sound decisions under high pressure.

That’s why safety is not just a priority—it’s a culture at DMEA. DMEA requires training for these crews to refine their skills in order to serve our members safely and effectively. From testing their specialized equipment to always watching out for their fellow linemen, safety guides every action they take.

As we recognize Lineman Appreciation Day this April, I want to acknowledge the dedication and expertise our linemen bring to their profession. Their work requires timely, smart choices and a deep commitment. Their work requires making timely, smart choices, expertise, and a deep commitment to their jobs.

To Our Linemen

Thank you for the work you do every day to keep our members safe, connected, and powered. You make us proud!

Have a message for our linemen? Drop them a line at tally.so/r/lbAMpX

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Concern for Community

Donation Helps Bring Inclusive Playground to Life at Montrose Regional Health

The new all-access playground at Montrose Regional Health’s Ambulatory Care Center is officially complete. Located at the Ambulatory Care Center in Montrose, the playground serves multiple roles within the community. In addition to being a welcoming place for local families, it offers a comforting and engaging space for patients and family members visiting the center—a place to relax, play, and find moments of joy during medical visits.

The playground was developed with inclusion at its core—designed to provide meaningful play opportunities for children of all ages and ability levels. The playground will also play an important role in Montrose Regional Health’s pediatric therapy program, providing therapists with a functional, real-world environment to support physical, social, and developmental goals through play.

DMEA helped fund this project with a $10,000 donation from the Unclaimed Capital Credit fund. The area will provide lasting benefits for children, families, and patients throughout the region.

“Inclusive play supports physical, emotional and social development for people of all abilities. For many children, access to a space like this can strengthen confidence, mobility and social connection, benefits that extend well beyond playtime.” -Justin Wilson, Director of Mountain View Therapy

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Work Smarter, Not Harder

SmartHub is your free online account management tool. Access your account 24/7 to check your balance, pay your bill, monitor your energy use, and more. Log in on your computer, smartphone, or any mobile device.

Pay your bill

View your bill and billing history
Set up payment methods
Pay today or set up auto pay

View energy use

See detailed use with weather trends
Compare historical and present use
Find average use for a period of time

Report an outage

Report an issue
Submit an inquiry
Track outages in your area

Vote online

Participate in the annual election
Find candidate information
Cast your vote

Get SmartHub today!

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Find Your Superpower

Save the day! Find your superpower at the 2026 DMEA Annual Meeting. Meet your destiny... Thursday, June 18 at the Olathe High School ...to be continued.

Find more information at dmea.com/elections.

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Optimize Your Elevate

Trouble shoot with these time-saving tips!

1. Smart TV app problems

Check if other apps on the TV are having similar issues:

‍YES. The TV as a whole could be having an issue. Restart the TV using its settings options or unplug the TV for a few moments.‍
NO. The issue is likely with the specific app or the app provider/server.
- Try clearing cache and data for the app
- Uninstalling and reinstalling works too (both options require a sign-in when the app is relaunched)
- Use a different device to check online to see if the app provider has a notice or status page.

2. A device is having a hard time loading apps or webpages

Identify if issues are isolated to save headaches. Replicate the issue on another known working device with similar functionality

If the issue persists on multiple devices, proceed to example 3
If other devices seem to function normally:
- Restart the device in question
- If wireless, ‘forget’ the Wi-Fi network and join again
- Reach out to Elevate Tech Support for more help at 844-386-8744

3. Multiple devices or users are having the same issues

There may be a network problem.

Sign into your ElevateIQ app and run a speed test to see if your Elevate Router and fiber connection are working normally. If your speed tests are failing, the ElevateIQ app shows no internet, or your Elevate router has a red status light:
- Try restarting your device using the Reboot System option on your Elevate IQ app or unplug it for a few moments
- If connectivity issues persist after 5-10 minutes, call Elevate Tech Support to open a troubleshooting case with your local fiber internet support team

Need more help? Find information or contact us: elevateinternet.com/support • 844-386-8744

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Don't Fall for Utility Smishing

Scammers often use fear tactics to get you to click, and power outages are just one of the tactics they may use to scam unsuspecting individuals.

In this scenario, cybercriminals send a text message claiming to be DMEA. It says power outages are expected due to a weather event. The message includes a link to an outage map showing which areas will lose power. If you are currently experiencing severe winter weather, you may be tempted to click the link to see if you will be affected.

This is a text message scam, called “smishing”. Bad actors hope you’ll be afraid of losing power during severe weather and will select the link. If you select it, they could install malware on your device. Or you could be directed to a fake website that prompts you to enter your personal information, which cybercriminals can steal.

Remember, we will always communicate outage information through the official DMEA website at dmea.com/outage.

For more information, call DMEA at 877-687-3632.

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DMEA Trivia Night

Test your electric cooperative knowledge. Win fantastic prizes!

Get ready to bring your brainpower to Trivia Night! Round up your brightest bulbs (seven people per team) and join us for two electrifying evenings packed with questions, fun, and prizes. Whether you’re a power-line prodigy, a watt-a-minute thinker, or just here for the current events (see what we did there?), you’ll have a chance to plug into some friendly competition and light up the leaderboard. No need to be a utility expert—just bring your crew and your curiosity for some rivalry and free refreshments.

The Association
39 W Main St, Montrose
Thursday, May 14 6:30 p.m.

Yarrow Taproom
22018 Main St, Austin
Thursday, May 28 6:30 p.m.

For additional assistance or information, call 877-687-3632.

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