Lubbock, Texas — South Plains Electric Cooperatives held its 23rd annual electrical safety demonstration that shows Lubbock fourth graders the safety and science behind electrical lines and wires.
The Director of Communications of South Plains Electric Cooperatives, Lynn Simmons said she knows everyone uses electricity every day and often forgets how dangerous it can be.
Simmons said that about 1,000 students come annually to the demonstrations that last three days.
“An arching demonstration. It has simulates a live line demonstration where the kids can actually see and hear the electricity, which often and which we don’t want to have happen in an everyday life, but it gives them a chance to have a visual with it,” said Simmons, “Then they come down to what we call our pull top rescue, and our linemen demonstrate the skills that are needed as a lineman to work on the poles to work out of the bucket.They also show the kids different technologies and things that we use every day.”
The students learned about the everyday life of a lineman, the safety measures taken, and how to properly use the equipment they use.
Simmons said she hopes the students learn about safety but also gain an interest in being a lineman.
“It’s a lot of time and resources that we commit to it,” Simmons said. “But if we can just save one life or save one person or child from being injured, it is well worth all of the time. And resources we put into it.”
