NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATI www.dmremc.com CONTACT US
Daviess-Martin County REMC TOLL FREE
800-762-7362
GENERAL MANAGER
Dave Sutter
OFFICE HOURS
7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m., Monday-Friday STREET ADDRESS
12628 E 75 N, Loogootee, IN 47553 MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 430, Loogootee, IN 47553 SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS
To report an outage or emergency, call 812-295-4200 or 800-7627362 day or night. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dean Harrawood, PRESIDENT John Edwards, VICE PRESIDENT August Bauer, SECRETARY Michael E. Arvin, TREASURER Terry Chapman Dale Marchino Steve Streepy BILL PAYMENT OPTIONS
Online bill payment Budget billing Auto bank draft Drive-through window Night depository Credit card payment (VISA, Discover and MasterCard accepted) Pay-by-phone MISSION STATEMENT
“Our mission is to provide dependable electricity and quality services for our members at reasonable cost.” Like us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/Daviess MartinCountyREMC
TIP OF THE MONTH
Save with efficient fridge Keep cool this summer! ENERGY STARcertified refrigerators are about 9-10 percent more energy efficient than models that meet the federal minimum energy efficiency standard. — ENERGYSTAR.GOV
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Avoid electrical dangers on the farm When farmers returned to the fields for planting this spring, we received several calls about equipment coming into contact with power lines. Daviess-Martin County REMC urges farmDAVE SUTTER ers to be particularly alert to the dangers of working near overhead power lines. Operating large equipment near these lines is one of the often overlooked, yet potentially deadly, hazards of working on a farm. As the size of the farm grows, so does the size of the equipment farmers use in the fields. You’re taking a piece of equipment to the field that you haven’t used before. You make a round in the field, get to the very edge where an existing power line is set, and all of a sudden — crash. The turn you normally made does not work anymore. You look back to see that you are hung up on the overhead power line. What do you do? Climbing out of that combine or tractor, attached to that piece of equipment now snared in a power line, is the worst thing you can do. Unless you are in immediate danger, stay where you are and call for help. Even if a line has landed on the ground, there is still potential for the area to be energized. Warn others who may be nearby to stay away and wait until help arrives. The utility wires are uninsulated, bare wires. Don’t let your body become a direct link between the line and the ground. If fire or other danger forces you out, jump clear so that no part of your body touches the energized equipment or fallen line and the ground at the same time. Take care not to fall back toward the vehicle or lines. Land with your feet together and shuffle a long distance away. And once you’re out of harm’s way, never go back until the utility company disconnects the power line. Start by making sure everyone knows
ELECTRIC CONSUMER • JUNE 2015 • ElectricConsumer.org
“Simply working too close to a power line is dangerous as electricity can arc or ‘jump’ to conducting objects, such as a ladder, pole or truck.” to maintain a 10-foot clearance minimum from power lines. Helpful safety steps include using a spotter and designating preplanned routes that avoid hazard areas. Be aware of increased height when loading and transporting tractors on trailer beds. Many tractors now have tall antennas extending from the cab that could make contact with power lines. Avoid raising the arms of planters or cultivators near power lines, and never attempt to raise or move a power line to clear a path. Simply working too close to a power line is dangerous as electricity can arc or “jump” to conducting objects, such as a ladder, pole or truck. Remember, nonmetallic materials such as lumber, tires, ropes and hay will conduct electricity depending on dampness, dust and dirt contamination. The overhead electric wires aren’t the only electrical contact that can result in a serious incident. Pole guy wires are grounded to neutral; but, when one of the guy wires is broken, it can cause an electric current disruption. This can make those neutral wires anything but harmless. If you hit a guy wire and break it, call Daviess-Martin County REMC to fix it. Don’t do it yourself. When dealing with electrical poles and wires, always call the REMC. DAVE SUTTER is general manager of DaviessMartin County REMC.