Electric Co-op Today

A life-and-death story featuring teenagers, an overturned Ford Bronco, downed power lines and an electric co-op has inspired a national electrical safety campaign to increase awareness about the dangers of downed power lines during accidents.

A safety lecture sponsored by an Indiana co-op at a local high school is credited for savings the lives of teen drivers. (Photo By: Casey Crabb)

The Teach Learn Care campaign, created by the not-for-profit organization Safe Electricity, has its roots in the 2009 car accident involving four Indiana teenagers who said an in-school safety program sponsored by their local electric co-op saved their lives.

During the presentation, just days before the accident, the safety expert hired by the co-op instructed them that in the event of a car accident, with no fire, to remain in their vehicle to avoid coming into contact with live lines.

“I stayed in the car and told the others to stay in the car,” said Lee Whittaker, who was a passenger that night. “That was the main thing he repeated over and over again,” he said, referring to Kyle Finley, the safety expert who spoke at the school.

The high-schoolers’ story doesn’t end there. Whittaker and another survivor, Ashley Taylor, will tell reporters about their experience during a Feb. 9 media event at the Monticello headquarters of White County REMC. At that time, the co-op will also showcase its community safety initiatives, including the Safe Electricity TLC campaign.  Read more

Tags: Local Initiatives, Safety