As part of the 100th anniversary of the electric department at Municipal Utilities, students at Poplar Bluff R-1 spent the week learning about electrical safety during the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers' Live Line demonstrations. Yesterday, students from Lake Road Elementary learned about the importance of taking proper safety precautions if ever encountering power lines.
Mark Baker, business representative for IBEW Local 702, said he enjoyed spending time with the students this week.
"This is the fun duty for me," he said. "Hopefully (the students) get a little knowledge and education. We were very proud, very honored and very appreciative for the opportunity to come visit with these kids like this."
Baker and his crew used real power lines with flowing electricity to show what could happen by touching them.
During the first example, the crew placed a plastic bird on the wire and it incurred no damage. But when they touched it to the pole, it's feet still attached to the line, it instantly caught on fire. The students' reactions suggested they were very impressed and a little surprised by how quickly the bird went up in flames.
Third graders Desarae Cornelius and Steffine Lacy said they have always been a little scared of electricity, and were thankful for the demonstration.
"I think it was good because we should learn a few things about this," Cornelius said. "This has definitely taught us things that will help us out with life, like, don't go up to a car when they have electrocution laid on top of them."
Lacy agreed, adding her own practical example.
"You should also make sure you know when a power cut is happening so you can call the electric company. So if something gets caught on fire, you know who to call besides just the fire department."
Both girls said their favorite part of Baker's demonstration was at the end when he and his crew showed students what happens when a transformer blows a fuse. They gave hints about a "grand finale" but the students were shocked by the surprisingly loud bang.
"You know how bottle rockets sound," asked Lacy. "It sounded just like that."
"Yeah, like a really big firework," Cornelius said.
Both girls said even with their newly acquired knowledge, they still plan on asking a parent or grown-up before making any decisions on their own.
Principal Erica Weadon said this experience was a unique opportunity for her students, since it was the first time they've had a program focusing on electricity.
"They're learning things they may not have known," she said. "Just practical safety that maybe a lot of adults don't know about."
Weadon said she hopes the students learn how important it is to be safe around plug-ins, electrical outlets, if they're ever in a car accident near a power line or if a car were to wreck near their home.
"I'm hoping maybe one day, this could save someone's life," she added.