Blue Ridge Electric Line Worker Competes in Pole Top Rescue Competition
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
Boone, North Carolina (November 4, 2008) – Ben Hurley, a crew leader with Blue
Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, had the honor of competing in the 11th Pole Top Rescue Competition for North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. Hurley has been with Blue Ridge EMC for 30 years. Ben and his wife, Vicky, have one son, Andy.
After winning Blue Ridge Electric’s local completion, Hurley recently competed against 24 other electric cooperative line workers from North Carolina at the state competition held on the lawn of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives’ headquarters building. Eric Helton, line technician A, was the runner up winner in Blue Ridge Electric’s local competition and accompanied Hurley to Raleigh to serve as back up in the event Hurley could not compete.
The pole top rescue drill consists of a line worker placing an emergency radio call, donning climbing gear, scaling 20 feet up a utility pole, rigging a rope, lowering a 105-pound mannequin and beginning CPR. Hurley finished the drill in 2 minutes and 39.71 seconds.
Blue Ridge Electric participates in the Pole Top Rescue competition as part of its overall safety education to help employees stay safe while delivering reliable electric power to its member-owners.
“This type of training helps our line technicians keep refreshed on how to respond quickly, with a focus on safety, in the event of a serious accident or injury to a fellow co-worker in the field,” said Ronnie Jewell, safety and training manager for Blue Ridge Electric. “In pole top rescue training, we simulate an emergency on the pole in order to time the response of the rescuer as well as evaluate how accurately they perform rescue procedures,” he explained.
More than 600 North Carolina electric cooperative line workers began the year competing for the 2008 title. Winners of local cooperative and regional competitions advanced to last Wednesday’s state championship.
Blue Ridge Electric serves some 73,000 member-owners in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Alexander and Avery counties.
