Closed and Holding: The Stories Behind The Grid

PowerOutage.com
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Technology

Closed and Holding is a PowerOutage.com podcast for the men and women who keep the grid alive. Hosted by Thomas Williamson, a journeyman lineman, the show highlights the conversations that never make it off the right of way: storm calls, near misses, leadership, laughs, and the brotherhood built on the job. Each episode brings on guests from across the industry: linemen, contractors, and the people building the tools crews rely on, to talk about what it actually takes to get the lights back on.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Ep 6 - Lineman Tool Innovations from the International Lineman's Rodeo with Journeyman Gear

    Recorded live at the International Lineman's Rodeo. Host Thomas Williamson sits down with Jared Greenlee, a lineman and the inventor behind Journeyman Gear, on the day he launched his newest tool: a rated ratchet strap that wraps around the bucket and replaces the old rope every lineman has relied on for years. Jared explains why some utilities are banning improvised bucket ropes and how the strap keeps your gear separated and your fingers safe. He also covers his lifetime warranty with no questions asked, and what it takes to run a self-funded tool company when demand outpaces supply. He also shows off the Blanket Ring, a stick attachment for rubber blankets that keeps the holes from tearing out, and he explains where you'll be able to get his tools. Find Journeyman Gear tools on the Journeyman Gear website and through distributors including Tallman Equipment, Line Roots, JL Matthews, and Linejunk. Download the PowerOutage.com Lineman app on the App Store. Search "PowerOutage.com Lineman." Visit PowerOutage.com for live outage data and to learn more about the mission behind the company. Got a topic, a question, or a storm story that's too good not to tell? Email Thomas at thomas@poweroutage.com. (1:11) - Launch Day: 15,000 Messages for a New Tool (2:32) - Distributor Partners at the Rodeo (4:16) - Getting Tools Approved by Major Utilities (5:25) - Load Ratings (6:27) - Lifetime Warranty, No Questions Asked (7:07) - Tested to Failure: Why It Won't Leave the Bucket (7:45) - Supply and Demand: Running a Self-Funded Tool Company (9:34) - The Blanket Ring: Protecting Your Rubber Blankets (11:18) - Where to Get the New Bucket Strap (12:12) - Why Distributors Matter (12:59) - Wrap-Up (13:16) - Outro: Follow, Share Your Story, and Stay Safe If you enjoyed this episode, follow and share it with your crew.

  2. Oct 22

    Ep 5 - Theo Venter on Surviving 22,000 Volts and the Real Cost of Shortcuts

    Every lineman has done something they knew they shouldn't, gotten away with it, and done it again until it became habit. Theo Venter didn't get away with it. On this episode of Closed and Holding, host Thomas Williamson sits down with Theo, a second-generation lineman from South Africa who took 22,000 volts through his body and lived to tell the story. Fresh off his presentation at the 2026 International Lineman's Rodeo, Theo walks through the "just another day" that changed his life. He talks about the gut feeling he ignored, how yesterday's shortcut becomes tomorrow's standard, and the safety meeting where he stayed silent. He also explains why we should stop blaming "complacency" and start calling it what it is: convenience. Theo opens up about the ripple effect his accident had on his kids, his marriage, and the crewmates who were there that day, and he leaves a message for every lineman who thinks it could never happen to him. Learn more about Theo, book him to speak, or follow his story at theoventer.com, or find "Theo Venter Story" on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Download the PowerOutage.com Lineman app on the App Store. Search "PowerOutage.com Lineman." Visit PowerOutage.com for live outage data and to learn more about the mission behind the company. Got a topic, a question, or a storm story that's too good not to tell? Email Thomas at thomas@poweroutage.com. (01:44) - Welcome Theo Venter (02:28) - A Second-Generation Lineman from South Africa to Australia (03:48) - "Just Another Day": The Morning of the Accident (05:07) - Working 22,000 Volts Hot and the Nut That Wouldn't Budge (06:40) - Taking the Gloves Off: The Seconds He'd Take Back (07:05) - Ignoring the Gut Feeling (07:48) - When Did the Accident Really Start? (08:19) - Yesterday's Shortcut Becomes Tomorrow's Standard (09:22) - The Safety Meeting Where He Stayed Silent (10:02) - Speaking Up Isn't Throwing Your Brothers Under the Bus (12:16) - Stop Blaming Complacency, Call It Convenience (14:03) - Who's the Most Dangerous Guy on the Crew? (15:37) - One More Perfect Day: Remembering Your Why (17:26) - The Half-Inch Nut as a Reminder (19:03) - The Ripple Effect on Family (21:27) - The Toll on His Crewmates (23:41) - A Message to the Lineman Who Thinks It Can't Happen to Him (25:42) - How to Reach Theo Venter (27:12) - Final Thoughts: Look Out for Your Bucket Buddy (27:58) - Outro: Follow, Share Your Story, and Stay Safe If you enjoyed this episode, follow and share it with your crew.

  3. Oct 19

    Ep 4 - How to Properly Take a Job Call with Glen Sutherland

    After about 15 linemen called him directly trying to take a job call, host Thomas Williamson decided it was time to talk about how the referral system actually works. On this episode of Closed and Holding, Thomas sits down with Glen Sutherland, a 20-year IBEW journeyman lineman who came up through the SELCAT apprenticeship and now works as an outside organizer at IBEW Local 379 in Charlotte, North Carolina, to walk through the process step by step. They cover what to do when you see a call posted, Book 1 vs. Book 2, staying on your home local's books while traveling, online job boards vs. calling down the books, and why the letter of introduction matters. Glen also explains why the referral process protects you, what travelers get wrong when they show up at a new local, and the advice he gives apprentices right before they top out. Have questions about the referral process? Find Glen Sutherland on Facebook or reach out through IBEW Local 379. Download the PowerOutage.com Lineman app on the App Store — search "PowerOutage.com Lineman." Visit PowerOutage.com for live outage data and to learn more about the mission behind the company. Got a topic, a question, or a storm story that's too good not to tell? Email Thomas at thomas@poweroutage.com. (0:56) - Why This Episode: 15 Calls from Linemen Trying to Skip the Hall (1:49) - Meet Glen Sutherland, IBEW Local 379 (2:22) - Calling the Contractor Instead of the Hall (3:12) - First Steps to Taking a Job Call (4:06) - Calling Down the Books vs. Online Job Boards (5:06) - Book 1 vs. Book 2 Explained (5:58) - Staying on Your Home Local's Books While Traveling (7:16) - Book 2 Rules When You're Working (7:54) - Teaching Apprentices the Referral System Before They Top Out (9:52) - How Traveling Has Changed: From Word of Mouth to Job Boards (10:44) - Is It Generational? Organized-In and Non-Union Backgrounds (12:13) - Should Every Journeyman Already Know This? (13:48) - Why the Referral Process Protects You (14:37) - What the Hall Will Ask For (15:07) - The Letter of Introduction (16:23) - The Biggest Mistake Travelers Make: Not Respecting the Local (17:30) - Advice for Apprentices About to Top Out (19:05) - Your Reputation Beats You to the Job Site (20:05) - How to Reach Glen Sutherland (20:56) - Who Was Making Those Calls? (21:29) - Outro: Follow, Share Your Story, and Stay Safe If you enjoyed this episode, follow and share it with your crew.

  4. Oct 14

    Ep 3 - Money Moves for Linemen

    Big storm checks, seven straight 16s, and six-figure paydays, but do you know what to do with the money once it hits your account? On this episode of Closed and Holding, host Thomas Williamson sits down with Jacqueline Case, a financial services professional with Universal Wealth who's been married to a lineman for over a decade. She talks about how linemen can grow, protect, and save the money they work so hard for. They cover the truth about going 99, the "middle-class mindset" trap that hits when the big money starts rolling in, why you need six months of savings before financing the truck, camper, and side-by-side, and where your money should actually be sitting. Jacqueline also shares advice for apprentices who just topped out, journeymen starting late on retirement, and what to do first when a storm check lands. Connect with Jacqueline on Instagram at @linemanfinancial or email jcase.elite@gmail.com. Download the PowerOutage.com Lineman app on the App Store — search "PowerOutage.com Lineman." Visit PowerOutage.com for live outage data and to learn more about the mission behind the company. Got a topic, a question, or a storm story that's too good not to tell? Email Thomas at thomas@poweroutage.com. (1:30) - Meet Jacqueline Case (2:22) - Financial Services vs. Your CPA: Who Does What (3:21) - The Truth About Going 99 on Your Paycheck (5:03) - Middle-Class Mindset Meets High-Income Earnings (6:20) - Unpredictable Income: Layoffs, Storms, and Big Purchases (7:40) - Why You Need Six Months of Savings (8:52) - The Danger of Financing Toys Without an Emergency Fund (10:43) - Keeping Up with the Joneses: Pay Yourself First (12:22) - Where Should Your Money Sit? Savings, Inflation, and Interest (14:18) - Where a Topped-Out Apprentice Should Start (15:46) - Starting Late: Advice for the 45-Year-Old Lineman (17:02) - Utility 401(k) Matches and Union Benefits (18:17) - Earning More vs. Saving Early (19:09) - Got a Big Storm Check? What to Do First (20:09) - Daily Habits: Track Your Spending (21:18) - What Every 40-Year-Old Journeyman Should Stop Doing (22:40) - How to Reach Jacqueline Case (23:36) - Final Thoughts: You Work Too Hard Not to Know How Money Works (24:10) - Outro: Follow, Share Your Story, and Stay Safe This episode is for educational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Talk with a licensed professional about your specific situation. If you enjoyed this episode, follow and share it with your crew.

  5. Oct 12

    Ep 2 - Meet Your Hosts: Thomas's Journey from Groundman to Founder

    Episode two of Closed and Holding turns the mic around. Host Thomas Williamson sits down with Matt Hope, CEO of PowerOutage.com, to talk about how Thomas got into the industry, why he was picked to host this show, and the vision behind what Closed and Holding is going to become. Thomas shares his path from groundman to foreman to founding United Powerline Solutions, the gaps he saw in the industry along the way, and why communication between linemen, contractors, and utilities matters so much. Matt also gives an update on the PowerOutage.com Lineman app's explosive growth and shares a real story of a lineman using the app's local view to troubleshoot an outage faster in the field. Download the PowerOutage.com Lineman app on the App Store; search "PowerOutage.com Lineman." Visit PowerOutage.com for live outage data and to learn more about the mission behind the company. Got a topic, a question, or a storm story that's too good not to tell? Email Thomas at thomas@poweroutage.com. (01:20) - Getting to Know Your Host, Thomas (02:12) - App Growth Update: Nearly 2,000 New Users in 72 Hours (02:59) - The Story Behind the Name Closed and Holding (03:53) - Thomas's 16 Years in the Industry (04:18) - Traveling the Country as a Lineman (04:43) - Founding United Powerline Solutions (05:15) - Gaps in the Industry: Safety and Production Pressure (06:16) - The Need for More Communication Across the Industry (07:32) - Thomas's Vision for the Podcast (09:00) - How Guys Are Using the App Right Now (10:26) - Local View in Action: A Real Troubleshooting Story (11:29) - The Mission Behind PowerOutage.com (12:45) - Sharing the App with Your Crew (13:50) - Where to Find Closed and Holding (14:07) - Outro: Follow, Share Your Story, and Stay Safe If you enjoyed this episode, follow and share it with your crew.

  6. Oct 7

    Ep 1 - Building the PowerOutage.com Lineman App

    Welcome to the first episode of Closed and Holding! Host Thomas Williamson, a journeyman lineman, sits down with Matt Hope, CEO of PowerOutage.com, to talk storms, the origin story of the PowerOutage.com Lineman app, and what's next for the industry. Matt breaks down how PowerOutage.us became PowerOutage.com, why linemen pushed back on a website redesign, and how that feedback turned into a brand-new app built specifically for crews in the field. They also dig into the chaos of storm call-outs and pre-staging, and the plans PowerOutage.com has to make that process a whole lot less painful. Download the PowerOutage.com Lineman app on the App Store — search "PowerOutage.com Lineman." Visit PowerOutage.com for live outage data and to learn more about the mission behind the company. Got a topic, a question, or a storm story that's too good not to tell? Email Thomas at thomas@poweroutage.com. Chapters: (02:14) - From Website to App: How PowerOutage.com Started (03:13) - The Website Changes That Upset Linemen (04:17) - Building the Lineman App from Scratch (04:42) - Favorite Feature: Local View (05:09) - Linemen Feedback (The Good and the Blunt) (06:41) - Positive Response Since Launch (07:14) - Origin of Closed and Holding: PowerGridTalks (08:17) - Why the Podcast Belongs in the App (08:46) - Where to Find Closed and Holding (09:23) - Finding and Downloading the PowerOutage.com Lineman App (10:08) - Referral Program: Invite Your Crew (11:02) - The Plan: Fixing the Storm Call-Out Process (11:48) - The Chaos of Pre-Staging and Call-Outs (12:55) - Listening to Linemen: Building What's Actually Needed (15:15) - Why This Matters: The Mission Behind PowerOutage.com (16:34) - Why the Switch from .us to .com (18:08) - Outro: Follow, Share Your Story, and Stay Safe If you enjoyed this episode, follow and share it with your crew.

  • 6 Episodes

About

Closed and Holding is a PowerOutage.com podcast for the men and women who keep the grid alive. Hosted by Thomas Williamson, a journeyman lineman, the show highlights the conversations that never make it off the right of way: storm calls, near misses, leadership, laughs, and the brotherhood built on the job. Each episode brings on guests from across the industry: linemen, contractors, and the people building the tools crews rely on, to talk about what it actually takes to get the lights back on.

Information