In the face of disaster—whether it’s a cyberattack, massive wildfire, EMP, or total civil collapse—one truth stands starkly clear: without power, society crumbles. Electricity is the invisible thread that holds together our water systems, hospitals, law enforcement communications, and economic life. And standing at the front lines of restoring that lifeline are our linemen.

Yet, while these men and women work tirelessly to bring back power, they face an alarming vulnerability: lack of protection.

Linemen Are First Responders—But Are They Treated Like It?

Utility linemen are often the forgotten heroes of disaster response. Unlike police or firefighters, linemen are not traditionally granted military escorts, trauma care priority, or family support housing. But when society teeters on the brink, it is their ability to restore the electrical grid that determines how fast we recover—or whether we can recover at all.

They face looters scavenging for copper, hostile environments lacking security, and the psychological toll of working without knowing if their families are safe. Delays in restoring power can cascade into water shortages, communication blackouts, and civil disorder. It’s not just inconvenient—it’s existential.

A Bold New Blueprint: Civilian-Military Integration for Power Restoration

A recently proposed Continuity of Government (COG) framework for San Diego and the State of California flips the script on emergency planning. Developed by the Department of Technology, this plan proposes the strategic use of U.S. military assets to directly support utility workers during large-scale crises.

Here’s how it works:

• Military-Backed Security: Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort hospital ships, and escort teams from the California National Guard and local military bases will be mobilized to create “Safe Work Zones” for linemen.
• Medical Support: Linemen will have prioritized access to triage services aboard Navy hospital ships and via mobile medical units stationed throughout disaster zones.
• Family Housing and Morale: Emergency housing for families of linemen, firefighters, and police officers will be made available on military bases. This ensures responders can focus on the mission, knowing their loved ones are safe.
• Dedicated Command Structures: A newly proposed Public Order and Technology Resilience Council (POTRC) would oversee real-time coordination between military units, utility crews, and law enforcement—ensuring threats are addressed and help is dispatched without delay.

Elevating Linemen to Tier-One Emergency Personnel

Central to the proposal is the legal reclassification of linemen as Tier-One essential responders. This designation would ensure they receive the same security, medical access, and logistical prioritization as other frontline forces.

Why? Because restoring power is not secondary to law and order—it is law and order.

Leadership and Accountability Through a New Department of Technology

The proposal goes further, calling for the establishment of a Department of Technology at the local, county, and state levels—each led by directly elected officials tasked with overseeing emergency tech infrastructure and disaster response integration.

These officials will be the backbone of a coordinated civilian-military response strategy, capable of:

• Mobilizing resources in real time,
• Prepositioning critical supplies,
• Coordinating inter-agency responses,
• And most importantly, protecting the protectors.

A Call to Action

We don’t get to choose when disaster strikes. But we can choose how prepared we are when it does.

The hour is late, but not too late. The framework proposed in the white paper, “Protecting Linemen, Preserving Power, and Restoring Order Through Military-Civilian Integration,” is not just another policy suggestion—it is a call to reimagine how we protect the infrastructure of our civilization and those who restore it.

If we truly want to preserve power and restore order, we must start by protecting the linemen who make recovery possible.

Power is survival. Linemen are power. It’s time we treated them that way.