For some perspective on how many years that covers, consider that when the last injury in Avilla occurred, George W. Bush was completing his first term as president and “Everybody Loves Raymond” was a Top-10 TV show.

At I&M, Safety is always first and foremost in everything we do, and especially for the crews doing the most dangerous work. Our team in Avilla set a great example of what you can achieve when you care about your co-workers and customers, and always look out for each other.

Line work ranks at No. 10 on the list of 25 most dangerous jobs in the U.S. As noted in USA Today, "the occupations with the highest fatality rates tend to have one of three things in common: they involve working from dangerous heights where a fall would be fatal, frequent contact with dangerous machinery or driving for substantial periods." Line mechanics face all three. We're incredibly proud of our Avilla crews for overcoming these hazards every day for more than a decade and a half.