Linemen show speed and safety skills during Pole Top Rescue competition
J
ason Worley and Danny Lee, line workers from French Broad EMC in Marshall and Randolph EMC in Asheboro, respectively, were crowned Pole Top Rescue champions in October at a statewide competition in Raleigh. The competition among the state’s electric cooperatives takes place every two years. This year’s had two categories based on the type of fall restraints used by the competitors. Both categories used 100 percent fall protection, but there were differences in how the competitors were secured to the pole. One group secured themselves in the traditional way with a lifeline and life hook, while the other group used personal fall restraints that protect from falls during the ascent and descent. Worley took home the first prize in the traditional category, and Lee won the category that uses personal fall protection. They beat 23 other champions, each of whom won the event at their own cooperative earlier in the year when some 600 line workers participated. Worley, the returning champion, recorded a time of 1:30.71, a new record. Lee’s time was 1:59.84, setting the record for the personal fall protection category. In the Pole Top Rescue scenario, line workers place an emergency radio call, don climbing gear, scale 20 feet up a utility pole, rig a rope, lower a 105pound mannequin and begin CPR. The second and third place competitors in the traditional category were Kenny Simmons of Pee Dee EMC (Wadesboro) in a time of 1:33.96, and Freddy White of Four County EMC (Burgaw) in a time of 1:39.35. Rounding out second and third place in the personal fall protection category were Justin Collins of Surry-Yadkin EMC (Dobson) in a time of 2:23.45, and Matthew Byrum of Albemarle EMC (Hertford) in a time of 2:24.44.
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Winners were Danny Lee of Randolph EMC (above) and Jason Worley of French Broad EMC (right). Both set new records for the competition. 10 DECEMBER 2010 Carolina Country
2010 Pole Top Rescue Competition Scoreboard (in alphabetical order by co-op)
Name of Contestant Electric Cooperative
Time (Minutes:seconds)
Matthew Byrum
Albemarle EMC, based in Hertford
2:24.44*
Ben Hurley
Blue Ridge EMC, based in Lenoir
2:33.03
Chuck Nance
Brunswick EMC, based in Shallotte
3:44.19
Jonathan Vernesoni
Cape Hatteras EC, based in Buxton
2:40.17
Jonathan Long
Carteret-Craven EC, based in Newport
1:52.55
Ken Thomas
Central EMC, based in Sanford
3:40.33*
Steve Lewis
Edgecombe-Martin County EMC, based in Tarboro
2:48.03
Lee Lackey
EnergyUnited, based in Statesville
3:00.84*
Freddy White
Four County EMC, based in Burgaw
1:39.35
Jason Worley
French Broad EMC, based in Marshall
1:30.71
Steve Height Jr.
Halifax EMC, based in Enfield
2:32.44
Brian Noland
Haywood EMC, based in Waynesville
2:29.16
David Raynor
Jones-Onslow EMC, based in Jacksonville
2:45.90*
Mike Jones
Lumbee River EMC, based in Red Springs
2:29.62*
Kenny Simmons
Pee Dee Electric, based in Wadesboro
1:33.96
Brent Talley
Piedmont EMC, based in Hillsborough
2:35.85
Danny Lee
Randolph EMC, based in Asheboro
1:59.84*
Charles Bryant
Roanoke EC, based in Roanoke Rapids
2:05.60
Scott Murray
Rutherford EMC, based in Forest City
2:30.16*
Timothy Williams
South River EMC, based in Dunn
3:22.63*
Justin Collins
Surry-Yadkin EMC, based in Dobson
2:23.45*
Brad Cox
Tideland EMC, based in Pantego
2:45.79*
Leonard Person
Tri-County EMC, based in Dudley
1:39.56
Jeff Furr
Union Power, based in Monroe
3:52.88*
Cory Lawrence
Wake Electric, based in Wake Forest
2:31.18*
* Denotes competitor wearing personal fall protection.