Sometimes, a lesson in alertness can be truly novel.

Missy and I recently began reading Around the World in 80 Days at bedtime. If you don’t remember the story, it’s a beat-the-clock novel about a 19^th-century English gentlemen trying to win a fantastic wager by circling the globe in the required time. It’s got everything a great story should have: true love, barely-missed disasters, even a cute elephant.

In the end – spoiler alert! – Fogg nearly loses his bet despite all his efficiency and planning. He’s kept track of the time perfectly but the nature of his travel has put him exactly one day off. It’s only when he’s made aware that the next day is Sunday, not Monday, that he realizes the nature of his error and reaches the finish line in time.

An extra pair of eyes has made all the difference.

As a community electric utility, that’s something we’re aware of and appreciate.

We work hard every day to make sure we serve our community reliably and well. And one big part of that is having a community that’s quick to let us know when they see something wrong. Our customers know to call us at 303-651-8386 when they see a burned-out streetlight. Or If a storm has broken a power line. It could even be a wasp’s nest in the electric meter or some graffiti on an electric box – well, assuming the paint isn’t actually some Shock Art from Art in Public Places, that is.

That helps. A lot. That’s thousands of extra eyes – including yours! –  helping us see and respond to things quickly. It’s only natural … after all, it’s your utility, too.

Mind you, safety matters, too. That’s why we want you staying 35 feet away from a broken line. It’s why we need to be the ones who remove the nests and handle the cleanup, so that no one gets a dangerous zap. But we also need your eyes and awareness – and when you call us about the things you notice, we get that much better.

So please, keep letting us know where we’re needed.  Together, we make sure that Longmont’s electric system stays world-class.

Maybe even round-the-world-class.