Linemen compete in Lineman’s Safety Rodeo

A combined team of linemen from Prairie Power, Inc. (PPI) and McDonough Power Cooperative (MPC) participated in the annual AIEC Lineman’s Safety Rodeo sponsored by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Seventeen teams from 13 electric co-ops, one municipal electric utility, and one team of Lincoln Land Community College linework students participated in the friendly competition. The rodeo highlights the skills linemen use to work safely and efficiently.

Eric DeWitt (PPI), Clay Wiemerslage (MPC) and Josh Nattier (PPI) (l-r) combined to represent their respective co-ops at the rodeo, held at the Lincoln Land Community College Lineman Training Grounds in Springfield. They competed against teams from across Illinois in events using skills that focus on agility, speed and accuracy. While these skills are part of the judging criteria, above all, participants are judged on safe work practices.

Line personnel competed in five team and individual events: a 40-foot climb, hurt man rescue, H-structure obstacle course, transformer banking and a head-to-head climbing challenge.

Scores for each event are based on completion time, proper execution of the task and safety. Deductions were made to a team or individual’s overall performance score due to mistakes such as slipping when climbing poles, dropping tools or executing inappropriate procedures or methods.