Ozark Border Electric Cooperative offered a course on electrical safety for first responders on Wednesday. The course covered potential hazards related to electricity during emergency response situations, such as downed power lines, vehicle accidents, and home and business fires.
The attendees included local firefighters, police officers and emergency medical workers. It was led by Ozark Border employees Justin Hann, Western Area Operations Supervisor, and Keith Rudd, right-of-way coordinator, both of whom have previous experience as journeymen and linemen.
According to Ozark Border Member Service Supervisor Cherie Cook, this is the second year they have offered the course.
The electric cooperative covered the cost as a community service, in keeping with their cooperative principles of concern for the community and education, training and information.
“As a cooperative, we prioritize community service and education, and this course is one way we can help ensure the safety of our local first responders,” said Cook.
During the course, Hann emphasized downed power lines as a significant danger first responders may encounter. He explained that downed power lines can energize the surrounding area and pose a serious threat to anyone who comes in contact with it. Even the slightest touch can result in electrocution, which can be fatal. He explained it is crucial for first responders to know how to identify and avoid downed power lines, as well as to have the necessary equipment and training to deal with them safely.
In addition to downed power lines, they may also encounter other electrical hazards, such as home and business fires and vehicle accidents involving electrical wires.
Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Mike Moffitt explained his crew has come upon instances where people “will jump from their house side to the supplier side, and then they will be illegally using electric. There’s no meter there, so we have no way of knowing if there’s power inside that house.”
These situations can be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. Moffit said he and his firefighters appreciated the opportunity to take the class. “It’s a great refresher for us to attend this once a year. This might be something we don’t deal with every day, but it just kind of puts it back into your memory bank.”
The main theme of the training was that electricity is a powerful tool, but it can also be extremely dangerous, especially during emergencies. Thus, it is critical for responers to have electrical safety knowledge to ensure their safetyas well as others .
The free learning course was followed by lunch for the attendees, which was catered by Tasteful Creations.