Co-opConnection www.mcecoop.com Lexington Office P.O. Box 669 254 Longs Pond Road Lexington, SC 29071 Dutch Fork Office 7524 Broad River Road Irmo, SC 29063 Customer Service (803) 749-6400 (888) 813-8000 Toll Free General Information (803) 749-6555 (888) 813-9000 Toll Free Report Outages (803) 749-6444 (888) 813-7000 Toll Free Board of Trustees Marvin W. Sox, Chairman Clifford B. Shealy, Vice Chairman Lavenia D. Hentz, Secretary J. Allan Risinger, Treasurer J. Carey Bedenbaugh, Jr. Eddie C. Best, Jr. Kenneth V. Frick Donette B. Kirkland Justin B. Watts Chief Executive Officer B. Robert Paulling The mission of Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Inc., a not-for-profit member-owned electric distribution utility, is to provide quality electric services at competitive costs with a commitment to member satisfaction. Co-op Connection Editor Lacy Ridgell lacy@mcecoop.com Can you imagine working a job that requires you to lift heavy equipment and perform detailed tasks near deadly high voltage? Now imagine doing this 40 feet in the air and, sometimes, in extreme weather. This is the life of a lineman. These brave men answer when called—and they do so to ensure that you are provided with safe, reliable electric service. But how do they stay safe when working in these conditions? Mid-Carolina Electric linemen are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times when on the job to keep them safe. ff Fire-resistant clothing. While our linemen do everything possible to prevent them, arc flashes, a form of electrical explosion, can happen. Fire-resistant clothing will selfextinguish, thus limiting injury due to burn. ff Insulated gloves and sleeves. Linemen must wear insulated rubber gloves and sleeves when working on electrical lines. This equipment provides protection against electrical shock and burns, and is rated at 30,000 volts. Protective gloves, usually made of leather, are worn over the insulated gloves to protect the rubber from punctures and cuts. ff Hard hat. No matter how tough or “hardheaded” our linemen are, they still need protection! Insulated hard hats are worn at all times to protect them from blows and falling objects. boots. These heavyduty boots are designed with extra support and protection in mind. The steel toe provides protection Justin Wooten Geared up for safety Mid-Carolina Class A lineman, Michael Swygert, wearing his personal protective equipment (PPE) while replacing a transformer. from objects that could potentially crush the feet. ff Safety glasses. Linemen must wear protective eyewear when work is being performed. The safety glasses protect them from many hazards to the eyes including injury resulting from flying objects and debris to arc flash. These items make up a lineman’s basic PPE. While working on electrical lines, they also may be required to wear equipment belts, tool pouches, safety straps and other types of equipment. A lineman’s gear can weigh about 50 pounds—that’s a lot of extra weight when working in hazardous conditions. So, the next time you see a lineman—be sure to thank him for keeping the lights on. But more importantly, thank them for the hard— and oftentimes dangerous—work they do, day in and day out. ff Steel-toe 4 SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | february 2015 | scliving.coop Justin B. Watts Trustee MCEC News Just what the doctor ordered MidCarolina looks out for its members by providing them with the most reliable electric service at the lowest possible cost. That’s the foundation of our co-op and something of which we’re very proud. Another way we look out for our members is by providing every household with the Co-op Connections Card. This member-benefit card helps you save money on everyday expenses, like clothing and groceries, at thousands of local and national retailers. Each and every month The Co-op Connections Card can also be used online and allows members to access special partner sites for additional savings on things like grocery shopping from Coupons.com and veterinary services from Pet Assure. One of the biggest benefits of the Co-op Connections Card is the prescription discounts you can receive on your next trip to the pharmacy. That’s because with your card, you’ll be able to get 10 percent to 85 percent off your prescription drugs at more than 60,000 locations including national and regional pharmacy chains. In the past year, MidCarolina members have saved more than $97,000 at the pharmacy just by showing their card. We know that many people have faced economic hardships lately, but our hope is that the Co-op Connections Card will help lessen the burden on pocketbooks. It’s just another member benefit brought to you by Community cleanup Students, you haven’t missed out … yet! The deadline to apply for one of seven $1,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarships is March 6. High school seniors can get an application from guidance counselors or at mcecoop.com. File a little extra cash for your community organization? Do you have some free time on Saturday, April 18? It will be a day for recognizing and responding to the need to protect our environment. Mid-Carolina will make a For more information or to locate a list of providers in your area, visit mcecoop.com and click on the Co-op Connections Card link or call our office at (803) Scholarships available Our own Justin Watts came out to help clean up his Gilbert community. Do you need Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative. monetary donation to your organization for your participation. Contact Lacy Ridgell at (803) 749-6555 for more details on how your organization could earn some extra cash for cleaning up our roadways. 0DUFK scliving.coop | february 2015 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING 5