Just wondered guys,
I'm on call for a big part of the Canterbury area, after 7pm tonight (our time).
Anything could happen, I just took over from my 2IC and he said it was non-stop madness in the dairy sheds he went out to over the last week.
Most of the calls could have been prevented with decent maintenance, but hey, if they've got the money to spend....

Don't get me wrong, I've been to really big breakdowns in past years, that no-one could have fore-seen.
I gave up on the callouts of the residential owner years ago when I was in business.
"Let's get an electrician here now (on Xmas Day) and then refuse to pay the bill when it comes in!"

At least most of the people I now deal with have some sort of empathy and sympathy to you being called out over what is supposed to be a period of REST.

So, I ask the question, are any of you folks waiting for the work phone to ring?

Being the only sparkie for 200 buildings, I'd say yup

Good on ya Jerry, good to see someone else flying the flag!

Not much by choice...
?=^P

I was on call almost every Christmas for 30 years. I probably had about 5 actual calls.

One in particular was at Comsat in Germantown Md. When I asked why they were all working, they said "we don't bring the satellites down for the holidays".

Vermont swells 2-3 times in population every school vaca , holiday, or good snow storm

Anyone who runs so much as a hot dog stand is on call here

~S~

From the AHJ side.....
Basically if & when my cell rings, it may be time to go.

Evenings, nites, weekends, holidays, etc.

The call can be twice in one nite, or quiet for weeks.....

Fires, structure damage from accidents, etc.

I'm always on call but I don't take new residential customers - especially after regular hours. If I'm going to work outside in -35 weather at night, it has to be for someone who cares enough about me to give me work at other times, too.

When I was "on call" I was "the" guy ... so 135 other guys could have a quiet Christmas.

Most of the time it was either dead quiet or something I could handle on the phone. Easy money.

Greg:

I agree with you, a lot of situations I handle are via cell calls between First Responders and POCO guys and me.

Back in thedays of tools, all were comm, no resi, all were established accounts who paid their bills.

Like Hotline, as an inspector I am "on call" 24/7 365 days a year. As part of a team of 4 commercial inspectors in a county of over 1 million people, crap does happen!

Most of my call out have been from the Fire Marshall requesting an inspector to approve a re-energize to a commercial structure after a fire or such thing.

Over the years have been one of a pile of trades on call 24/7 for a data center supporting DMV information for various local police departments.

Very seldom the electrical cell goes off, usually its the outside a/c contractor or somebody from one of the IT vendors coming in for a problem.

As John and Lucky says, as an AHJ I too am on 24/7 but luck has been with me. Not many emergencies since hurricane Sandy went by us. Then I was working every day. When I was in my own business, there wasn't a year go by when I didn't get an emergency call for a holiday. You name the day, and I know I worked it at least once in 15 years of my own business.

The worst part about that, was when I was in business and I went out on call, sometimes I didn't get paid by the customer. They needed me so bad on that holiday, but I couldn't get them to pay me for the service call.

Man, I do not miss being On-Call at all!!!

--Scott (EE)

Same here but now my wife is on call 24/7 all the time.
I usually end up going in with her.
It is never boring.