If your power is on in Agassiz-Harrison, you just might have Finley Fulford, age 6, to thank.
Fulford is not yet a certified power line technician, but he has all the makings of a fine lineman at the young age of six.
BC Hydro told The Observer one of their crews 鈥� complete with their signature bucket truck 鈥� recently paid a surprise visit to their youngest PLT. B.C. Hydro describes Fulford as 鈥渨hip-smart鈥� and devoted to his craft. He has a long-established reputation with his neighbours, local BC Hydro employees and contractors.
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If you were to ask Fulford when his career started, he鈥檇 pinpoint it somewhere around age 3. The first power lines under his watch were made of Mega Bloks, later upgraded to Lego and sticks his granddad found in the yard.
To say Fulford is obsessed with all things BC Hydro would be an understatement. He watches YouTube videos of PLTs at work, keeps up with the news from 鈥淧owerlineman Magazine鈥� and training his two younger siblings 鈥� Henry, 4, and Charlotte, two-and-a-half 鈥� as his apprentices.
鈥淗enry is quite interested, and thinks he works for BC Hydro,鈥� said Chelsey Fulford, Finley鈥檚 mother. 鈥淎nd his sister, who can hardly form a sentence, helps with work on his power lines. She says: 鈥業 wook fo bee-cee hy-dwo.鈥欌��
Finley even has his own workout regimen to keep those 鈥渓ineman muscles鈥� in top form.
鈥淵ou usually hear kids say things like 鈥業 want to be a firefighter鈥� and then it鈥檚 鈥業 want to be a policeman鈥� then I wanna be a plumber,鈥� Chelsey said. 鈥淏ut this is different. I really think he鈥檚 going to do something with BC Hydro down the road, whether it鈥檚 an engineer or a PLT. I think he鈥檚 basically waiting for cheques to show up in the mail for all the years of unpaid work he鈥檚 done for (BC Hydro) already.鈥�
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As of publication, BC Hydro鈥檚 accounts payable department says the cheques have yet to be distributed.
Over the years, Finley has amassed a collection of PLT gear donated by his fans and friends at BC Hydro. He can often be seen in full 鈥渦niform,鈥� complete with a hard hat and vest.
Chelsea recalled a time Finley braved the cold to do his solemn duty as a PLT.
鈥淚t was a crappy, rainy day outside and he suddenly comes downstairs and he鈥檚 like, 鈥淥h, I really don鈥檛 want to go outside today, I don鈥檛 want to go to work today 鈥� it鈥檚 gross and it鈥檚 raining 鈥� but a lineman has to go to work, no matter the weather,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淎nd he trudges outside in the rain to go check on his power lines in the yard, to see if they鈥檙e still standing.鈥�
Finley is home schooled, in part because his parents felt he was so bright he鈥檇 be bored by standard education.
鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 like doing normal schoolwork,鈥� Chelsey said. 鈥淗e鈥檒l say 鈥榃hy can鈥檛 I just do lineman school instead? Why do I need to do this garbage? How old do I need to be to go to lineman school?鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 the funniest, weirdest, cutest thing,鈥� she added. 鈥淛ust an absolute obsession.鈥�
adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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