Pictured: Adams Electric’s team (Journeyman Lineman Garrett Kestner, Line Foreman Brennan Caspermeyer, and Journeyman Lineman Austin Aschemann) received First Place in the Crossarm Change competition.
SPRINGFIELD – Line personnel from Adams Electric Cooperative participated in the annual Lineworker’s Safety Rodeo coordinated by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) on Thursday, Sept. 19. Fifteen teams from 12 electric co-ops and one municipal electric utility participated in the friendly competition, along with seven others competing individually. The rodeo highlights the skills lineworkers use to work safely and efficiently.
Austin Aschemann, Brennan Caspermeyer and Garrett Kestner from Adams Electric represented their co-op at the rodeo, held at the LLCC Line School Yard 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 a series of team and individual events including the 40-foot climb, hurt man rescue and crossarm change. The cutout change was a team event, and the day concluded with 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.
At the end of the day, the Adams Electric team won first place in the crossarm change event. In the individual competition, Caspermeyer won second place in the crossarm change. Congratulations to our lineworkers on their team and individual efforts.
Adams Electric Cooperative is a member of Touchstone Energy — a national alliance of local,
consumer-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service to members large and small. More than 700 Touchstone Energy cooperatives in 46 states are delivering energy and energy solutions to more than 30 million members every day. Adams Electric Cooperative is committed to providing superior service based on four core principles: integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community. The co-op serves more than 9,000 meters over 2,269 miles of line in parts of Adams, Brown, Hancock, McDonough, Pike and Schuyler counties.
