Lineworkers Intent on Keeping the Public Safe
Alan Drew, SVP of Research and Development
From the days of Ben Franklin flying his kite in a lightning storm, the dangers posed by electricity have been a real concern for the public. In the 20th century when the expansion of electric power systems included thousands of miles of high-voltage power lines, the significant hazards to the public became clear.
As the use of electric power continued to expand, so did the frequency of electrical contacts and fatalities involving the public. With the advent of the automobile, car accidents involving power poles became a new and urgent concern. One of the common accidents involved drivers colliding with power poles, which could result in live wires touching the vehicle. The driver or passengers would step out and create a path to the Earth through which power would flow. This led to electrocution. Kite flying also gained popularity during this time, and accidents would occur when kites with wet or metallic strings were flown into energized power lines. Other hazards involved irrigators raising metal pipes into power lines and individuals installing TV antennas in contact with power lines. Power companies realized that educating the public about the hazards of power lines was critical.
PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS THROUGH THE AGES
One of the first icons of public safety was the famous graphic character Reddy Kilowatt, who made a published appearance in 1926 for Alabama Power. He was created to promote the safe use of electric power and was utilized exclusively by investor- owned utilities. Other safety characters included Willy WiredHand and Louie the Lightning Bug.
Around 1950, power companies began increasing efforts to educate the public on the hazards of power lines. Lineworkers readily accepted their role in promoting public safety since most of them resided in the communities they served.
MY POP’S A LINEMAN
One of the early significant efforts to promote public safety occurred in 1957. Herman Potthast, a former lineworker who was working as a training and safety coordinator for the Wisconsin Schools of Vocational and Adult Education, collaborated with Dunn Electric Cooperative to produce a video on public safety.
The first showing of My Pop’s a Lineman was at a National Rural Electric Cooperative Association meeting. The demand for the film was immediate as electrical cooperative requests were joined by those of insurance companies, universities, power companies, school systems, fire marshals, farm bureaus, and the U.S. Army. The iconic public safety film lives on and can be viewed on YouTube.
In the 1960s power companies began showing various types of public safety presentations to their customers. Some power companies developed high- voltage demonstrations using miniature power lines that could show the dangers of electricity in real time.
THE HIGH-VOLTAGE DEMONSTRATION TRAILER
The next advancement in public safety is what we see in use today: the high-voltage demonstration trailer. These trailers demonstrate what a high-voltage electric arc looks and sounds like. They can demonstrate a variety of hazards such as trees contacting lines, flying kites, and downed wires. Lineworkers over the decades have made these presentations exciting and effective and have conducted these at a variety of locations such as schools, fairs, fire stations, and power company events.
Power companies realized that educating the public about the hazards of power lines was critical.
LINEWORKERS IN ACTION
Recently, Dixie University in St. George, Utah, hosted a kids’ kite-flying day. Dixie Power, a local electric cooperative, was conducting demonstrations with their high-voltage demonstration trailer. One of the demonstrators was Chance Ridings, an NLC graduate, who said he enjoyed making these presentations, and volunteers at every opportunity.
Lineworkers have always exhibited pride and passion in their work—this is obvious to anyone attending one of their safety presentations. Lineworkers readily volunteer for these safety presentations and give their best efforts to ensure that the audience understands the messages. Lineman Appreciation Day has been established to recognize lineworkers for their efforts in constructing and maintaining power systems, but it is also appropriate to recognize and appreciate their life-saving efforts in public safety.
The Handline Magazine
This story was originally published in Northwest Lineman College’s The Handline Magazine, Summer 2022 issue.
