Co-op News
Linemen in N.Y. Help Control Fire
Two Delaware County Electric Cooperative linemen ended their lunch break abruptly not long ago when one of them got a call on his pager.
Mike Pietrantoni also is chief of the Bloomville Volunteer Fire Department in upstate New York, so when the alarm went out for a house fire in Schenevus, he and linemen Scott Tuttle rushed to the scene.
Mike Pietrantoni (left) and Scott Tuttle responded to an emergency in upstate New York. (Photo By: Tara Rifenbark)
“There was a lot of smoke,” said Pietrantoni, who used a fire extinguisher from the co-op’s line truck to put out the flames on burning curtains in the wood-framed ranch-style home.
Tuttle, who also is a volunteer firefighter, disconnected electric service to the home as a precaution.
“All the communities in our service territory rely on volunteer firefighters,” said Greg Starheim, CEO and general manager of the Delhi, N.Y.-based co-op. When volunteers from nearby East Meredith’s fire department arrived with a truck, the linemen turned the scene over to them and waited for fire investigators to arrive.
Their quick response helped limit the damage. ”We’re glad two of our linemen were close enough to help save a consumer-member’s home,” Starheim said.
Tags: Beyond the Call, Co-op News, Lineworkers