At Kankakee Valley REMC, safety comes first. Our lineworkers face hazardous environments daily.

Through the Indiana Electric Cooperatives Job Training and Safety Department, our lineworkers attend various training courses each year. One course is pole-top and bucket truck rescue training. Through this training, linemen review and sharpen their skills in assisting a co-worker injured while on a pole or in a bucket. This training is done using a weighted mannequin to simulate a human who might need assistance. These exercises are used to demonstrate the small window of time a person has to save someone during an emergency.

“Safety is a top priority at the cooperative. Should an emergency occur, we want our employees to be best prepared to handle them quickly and efficiently. Through these exercises and monthly training courses, we are confident our employees will be able to perform and send their fellow linemen home safely to their families,” stated Jeff Newburn, line superintendent at Kankakee Valley REMC.