SALISBURY — Numerous local first responder agencies crowded around a Duke Energy trailer on Thursday at the Salisbury-based Rowan-Cabarrus Community College campus for an electrical demonstration from some of the power company’s linemen.
“These are local Rowan County first responders,” said Logan Stewart, a Duke Energy communications manager. “They are here today to watch a live line demonstration. (The lineman) are going to show safety and how they would interact with us around power lines.”
The demonstrations lasted for more than an hour and a half, featuring everything from what happens when a conductor makes contact with a live line to detaching power meters. Some of the demonstrations included how to safely exit a vehicle that was touching a power source and tips for digging in one’s yard.
Joe Crapster is a government and community relations manager with Duke Energy for Cabarrus, Davidson, Davie, Iredell, Rowan and Stanly counties.
“It’s something that is important because we want to keep our first responders safe,” Crapster said of the demonstrations. “We want to keep these linemen safe. It’s very important for this partnership.”
While Crapster acknowledged that Thursday’s crash course won’t make any of the attendees certified linemen, it does offer a glimpse into what linemen do.
“The demo gives them a firsthand view of exactly what the lineman is going through,” Crapster said. “From a lineworker’s perspective, the benefit can be to them, as well you know, what’s safe, what’s not safe.”
Ultimately, Crapster encourages those who encounter those types of situations to contact Duke Energy right away.
“When there is a safety issue you should always reach out and call Duke Energy if you are a first responder before doing anything that could have the potential of being dangerous,” Crapster said.
Processing everything from the demonstration can seem overwhelming.
“We did see a lot this morning,” Crapster said. “To me, the biggest thing is if you see a line that is down, 100 percent of the time, get away from it and don’t touch it. We also saw some things about car safety as far as if you are in a car and there is a power line across it. Bottom line, there are many things from a safety perspective, this morning, and hopefully, the first responders and community leaders are able to take something back from it.”
While these demonstrations are fairly commonplace, Crapster indicated it was the first one they’ve done here since he came on board with Duke Energy.
“I have been in this area for about a year,” Crapster said. “It’s the first demonstration that we have done during my tenure here, but what I hear from other locations is very positive from a safety perspective as well as the partnership. If we get into a severe weather situation with our first responders, it’s very important to have those partnerships built up to keep everybody safe.”
One line that floated around a lot was about the arrival of a Good Samaritan on the scene. However, the Duke Energy explanation is a little different than the Biblical parable. As demonstrators said on Thursday, the best way to be a Good Samaritan is to contact the power company. That part stood out to Cleveland Commission Will Holloway, who was in attendance.
“(It was cool to see the) different kinds of ways that lines get hot and get energized,” Holloway said. “As a Good Samaritan, don’t touch it. You might want to be a Good Samaritan, but you should just call the right people.”
Holloway remembers a time in Rowan County when knowledge shared Thursday would have been pertinent.
“A long time ago, Rowan County had real bad ice storms, and there were lines down everywhere,” Holloway said. “I know fire departments and everyone had to go out there and work around those lines to see what they could do, so I know this is important for fire departments and emergency services.”
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