Power Talk July 2010 : Page 1

UNITED COOPERATIVE SERVICES A MONTHLY INSERT FOR MEMBERS OF UNITED COOPERATIVE SERVICES Lifesavers! Pictured from left , Cody Chapman, Ben Perry, United CEO Ray Beavers and Roger Wolfe. AS UNITED LINEMEN, THEY ROUTINELY do their job very well. But few would argue their best work showed up on a Friday—when they helped SAVE ANOTHER’S LIFE. Three United Cooperative Services employees were recent recipients of a national award for their part in rescuing a cable company work- er who contacted the cooperative’s distribution line. Foreman Roger Wolfe, Lineman Ben Perry and Apprentice Lineman III Cody Chapman— all from the cooperative’s Possum Kingdom Lake offi ce—received the Touchstone Energy® Co- operatives Power & Hope Award, which recognizes electric co-op employees who have gone above and beyond to help their com- munities and their fellow man when major challenges arise. On the afternoon of April 30, a cable TV company crewman was connecting a cable service from his bucket truck when Please see POWER & HOPE, PAGE 2 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: $100.00 $110.00 $120.00 $130.00 $140.00 $150.00 $160.00 $170.00 $80.00 $90.00 United's Rate Trend vs. REP Average (Electric Cost for 1,000 kwhs) REP Average United Linear (REP Average) Linear (United) WATCHING THE RATES United Cooperative Services examines some common misperceptions about present/past electric rates ..... PAGE 6 SNAKES AND OTHER CRITTERS SOURCE OF MANY SUBSTATION OUTAGES, PAGE .....3 MEMBER STUDENT TOUTS UNITED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, PAGE ..... 4 PAPERLESS BILLING BECOMES MEMBER OPTION IN JULY, PAGE .....5 ENERGY TOPIC: ENERGY AUDITS HELP FIND EFFICIENCY TARGETS, PAGE ..... 8 MANAGER’S PERSPECTIVE: LET’S TALK, PAGE ..... 12 JULY 2010 UNITED COOPERATIVE SERVICES 1 PowerTalk Jan-06 Mar-06 May-06 Jul-06 Sep-06 Nov-06 Jan-07 Mar-07 May-07 Jul-07 Sep-07 Nov-07 Jan-08 Mar-08 May-08 Jul-08 Sep-08 Nov-08 Jan-09 Mar-09 May-09 Jul-09 Sep-09 Nov-09 Jan-10 Mar-10 May-10

Lifesavers!

AS UNITED LINEMEN, THEY ROUTINELY do their job very well. But few would argue their best work showed up on a Friday—when they helped SAVE ANOTHER’S LIFE

Three United Cooperative Services employees were recent recipients of a national award for their part in rescuing a cable company worker who contacted the cooperative’s distribution line. Foreman Roger Wolfe, Lineman Ben Perry and Apprentice Lineman III Cody Chapman— all from the cooperative’s Possum Kingdom Lake office—received the Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives Power & Hope Award, which recognizes electric co-op employees who have gone above and beyond to help their communities and their fellow man when major challenges arise.

On the afternoon of April 30, a cable TV company crewman was connecting a cable service from his bucket truck when

Three United Cooperative Services employees were recent recipients of a national award for their part in rescuing a cable company worker who contacted the cooperative’s distribution line. Foreman Roger Wolfe, Lineman Ben Perry and Apprentice Lineman III Cody Chapman— all from the cooperative’s Possum Kingdom Lake office—received the Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives Power & Hope Award, which recognizes electric co-op employees who have gone above and beyond to help their communities and their fellow man when major challenges arise.

On the afternoon of April 30, a cable TV company crewman was connecting a cable service from his bucket truck when

He suffered an accidental contact with a United distribution line.

Upon receiving a call from local emergency personnel, United dispatch personnel in Cleburnede-energized the line, which is in the area of Possum Kingdom Lake.

“Fortunately, the United crew was near the scene of the accident or the outcome for the cable worker could have been even worse than it was,” said United CEO Ray Beavers.

Wolfe, Perry and Chapman arrived at the scene within minutes ofde-energizing the line. The cable contractor was severely burned and in extreme agony.

His injuries left him unable to lower his bucket to the ground for medical attention from waiting emergency personnel.

“Safety is our top priority at United and we invest many hours and resources into ensuring our employees have the necessary training to react appropriately in an emergency situation. Roger, Ben and Cody assessed the situation, then quickly and safely raised the United bucket near enough to the cable contractor’s bucket to rescue him,” said Beavers.

With Wolfe and Chapman managing the United truck controls from the ground, Perry was able to retrieve the cable worker, pull him into the United bucket and deliver him to the waiting emergency personnel. The entire effort by Wolfe, Perry and Chapman— from the time they assessed the situation to when they got the injured person to the ground—took less than three minutes. The cable worker was fl own by helicopter to a burn center at a Dallas hospital, where at the time of publication he was in serious, but stable condition.

“We’re trained to do the necessary things when an emergency occurs,” said Wolfe. “It’s something you hope you never have to implement, but when the need arose, I’m glad we knew how to manage the situation and I’m proud of how Ben and Cody handled this unfortunate circumstance,” added Wolfe.

“United employees helping their fellow man is not a new concept. I know that if these guys hadn’t been the ones nearby, any of United’s other 152 employees would have reacted the same way,” said Beavers. “They don’t seek recognition, but Roger, Ben and Cody are heroes in my book.”

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