May 2023

Electrical Safety Month

"Safety" is a universal word that is mentioned often and used loosely. Communities large and small as well as companies across all industries are committed to safety. Sports leagues, at every level, take safety seriously. Unfortunately, when it really counts, steps to keep the public, workers, athletes and loved ones safe are often ignored in the interest of expediency or convenience.

However, safety is a serious issue, especially when it comes to electrical safety. For, RushShelby Energy, it's the number one priority. This is not empty talk. Over time RushShelby Energy has created a culture of safety by putting our employees' safety and that of the community above all else. At its essence, RushShelby Energy's mission is to provide safe, affordable and reliable electricity to its member-owners. At the end of the day, we strive to deliver affordable and reliable electricity, but equally important, we want to return our workers home safely to their loved ones. To do this requires focus, dedication and vigilance.

FOLLOWING LEADING NATIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS

Working with electricity is an inherently dangerous job, especially for lineworkers. RushShelby Energy has a safety team whose focus is keeping employees and the community safe around electricity. We established and follow safety protocols based on leading national safety practices for the utility industry. We require our lineworkers to wear specialized equipment when working next to or with power lines. These are specific protocols that our lineworkers follow when dealing with electricity. Our safety team has regular meetings where they discuss upcoming projects from a safety perspective. They monitor and track near-misses of accidents in order to understand them, share "lessons learned" and improve in the future.

As importantly, we encourage all of our crews to speak up and hold each other accountable for safety. By cultivating a culture of openness and transparency, we promote problem-solving with regard to safety, rather than defaulting to a blame game. We examine the information and data gleaned from near-misses and accident reports to discern patterns and use safety metrics to improve in those areas where we have fallen short.

KEEPING THE COMMUNITY SAFE

Because we live and work in the community we serve, we care about our neighbors. RushShelby Energy conducts electrical safety demonstrations in schools and for community events.

May is National Electrical Safety Month. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, each year thousands of people in the United States are critically injured and electrocuted as a result of electrical fires, accidents and electrocution in their homes . Many of these accidents are preventable. There is much you can do to keep yourself and your community safe around electricity.

Don't attempt electrical DIY projects or overload your outlets. Report downed power lines, unlocked substations or padmount transformers that look amiss. Contact RushShelby Energy for additional electrical safety tips. If you would like us to provide a safety demonstration at your school or community event, please call 765-544-2600. Be mindful when it comes to electrical safety. Pause and take the extra time to plug into safety.

Are You?

Now that spring is in full swing and summer is on the way, like many of you, we welcome more opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather. Both seasons bring many of our favorite activities, like cooking out with family and friends, afternoons on the water, and simply slowing down to enjoy life.

But spring and summer months also make conditions right for dangerous storms. These potential weather events can cause destruction to our electrical system, but we want you to know that RushShelby Energy crews are ready and standing by to respond should power outages occur in our area.

When major storms knock out power, our line crews take all necessary precautions before they get to work on downed lines. RSE encourages you to also practice safety and preparedness to protect your family during major storms and outages.

Don't Wait. Be Prepared Before the Storm.

While we can't predict the weather, especially in Indiana, you can plan ahead so when severe weather strikes, you have the tools and resources to help you prepare for major weather events.

Preparedness Actions and Items

• Stock your pantry with a three-day supply of non-perishable food, such as canned goods, energy bars, peanut butter, powdered milk, instant coffee, water and other essentials (i.e., diapers and toiletries).

• Confirm that you have adequate sanitations and hygiene supplies including towelettes, soap and hand sanitizer.

• Ensure your First Aid kit is stocked with pain relievers, bandages and other medical essentials, and make sure your prescriptions are current.

• Organize emergency supplies so they are together in an easily accessible location.

With advance warning

Fully charge all cell phones, laptops and devices so you have maximum power in the event of a power outage. If you plan to use a small generator, make sure it's rated to handle the amount of power you will need, and always review the manufacturer's instructions to operate.

During a prolonged outage

In the event of an outage, turn off appliances, TVs, computers and other sensitive electronics. This will help avert damage from a power surge, and will also help prevent overloading the circuits during power restoration. That said, do leave one light on so you will know when power is restored. If utilizing a small household generator, consider using LED holiday lights to illuminate a living area. A strand of 100 white lights draws little energy yet produces considerable light. Solar lights also work if they can receive some sunlight during the day for charging.

During thunderstorms, the American Red Cross recommends avoiding electrical equipment and land-based telephones. Use batterypowered TVs and radios instead. Keep away from windows. Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for emergency updates or check RushShelby Energy's outage map on our website and Facebook for restoration updates.

After the storm, avoid downed power lines and walking through flooded areas where power lines could be submerged. Allow ample room for utility crews to safely perform their jobs - including on your property.

Power in planning

Advance planning for severe storms or other emergencies can reduce stress and anxiety caused by the weather event and can lessen the impact of the storm's effects. Act today because there is power in planning.

In an upcoming survey conducted by Cooperative Insights, some members will be randomly selected to provide feedback about your cooperative. Tell us how we're doing!

If you are contacted, we strongly encourage you to participate and provide honest feedback to help us better understand how we can best provide our members with The Cooperative Difference.

The survey will: • Take 15-20 minutes to complete. • Help your cooperative understand how it is doing. • Ask about customer satisfaction, your cooperative's strengths, weakness and reliability and opinions on emerging technologies like renewable energy.

The benefits of the medical necessity status are to offer you advance notifications of when your service could be interrupted. Some examples of this are service interruptions due to nonpayment of your electric bill and preplanned outages when we are working in your area. Your account will be noted so that our service techs know the medical need in outage situations. Note this status does not negate the responsibility to pay your electric bill. This does not automatically extend electric bill due dates or provide priority restoration.

Unexpected outages due to weather, vehicle accidents, equipment issues, trees or animal contact mean that RushShelby Energy cannot guarantee 100 percent uninterrupted power. During emergency restoration with widespread damage, RushShelby Energy's priority is to restore the area with the most members without power. RushShelby Energy will do our best to get to the medical necessity accounts as soon as possible, but we will always go for the most extensive outages first and work down from there. If we get to a location with a medical necessity, we will try to get them on first.

In the event of loss of power, it is the member's responsibility to have a power backup system, supplies in place and an action plan for where you can go to get proper care until your power has been restored. In cases where electric supply is necessary, members must provide on-site backup capabilities such as generators to ensure uninterrupted service.

If you or someone you know uses life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate, charge the battery before the storm, identify a location with emergency power capabilities and make plans to go there during a prolonged outage. Contact your local health department or emergency management offices about shelters that can assist you during a prolonged outage. If you have a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the hospital.

Chris Chastain, President & CEO, Bruce Everhart and Bob Stroup, RSE directors recently attended the Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. They were joined by other cooperative leaders to hear from members of Congress and administration officials and discuss timely and pressing legislative issues affecting electric co-ops and their member-owners.

Quick Links

RushShelby Energy Board of Directors and CEO Chris Chastain recently attended Hoosier Energy's Annual Meeting. Bob Stroup will be stepping down as President of Hoosier Energy's Board of Directors. Bob also celebrated his 30th year as a director on the Hoosier Board. RSE appreciates your dedication and leadership to the cooperative and the memebership.

Congratulations Kristan!

Kristan Brinson, CSR, was named Employee of the Month for April. Kristan was recognized for her kind heart, stellar attitude and the willingness to go above and beyond for the membership.

June Festivals

June 2-3

Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival

-Franklin

June 3-4

Metamora Strawberry Days

-Metamora

June 9

Taste of Shelby County

-Shelbyville

June 9-10

Tri-State 1st Responders Rodeo -Brookville

Congratulations John! John Herbert recently completed The Comprehensive Staking Technician Certification Program. This certification program is designed to educate and equip the staking technician in designing electrical distribution facilities that adequately serve the customers of the utility.

Congratulations Nate!

Nate Best, Journeyman Lineman is celebrating five years of service. RSE appreciates your hard work and dedication to the membership.

June 23

Wine Walk -Shelbyville

June 23-24

Brookville Canoefest -Brookville

June 30 - July 1

Waldron Will Freedom Fest Waldron

Congratulations Bruce & Charlie! Bruce Everhart and Charlie Smith completed all requirements and earned The Director Gold Certificate. The Director Gold Certificate is geared towards directors who are committed to advancing their knowledge throughout their tenure on the board.

2023 Indiana Festival Guides are available in our lobby!

May is National Electrical Safety Month! Take this quiz to test your safety skills. Check your answers in the key below.

1. It's safe to plug in several devices to one electrical outlet as long as you use a power strip.

A. True B. False

2. Smoke alarms should be tested ______________.

A. Every month B. Every other month C. Every six months

3. Extension cords are safe to use year-round if the cord is not frayed or damaged.

A. True B. False

4. When unplugging a device from an electrical outlet, always hold the ___________________ while unplugging.

A. Cord B. Plug C. Device

5. It's never safe to play near power lines, but it's OK to play near padmounted transformers (those big green boxes you see in neighborhoods).

A. True B. False

6. Where is the most dangerous place to use electricity?

A. Near other electrical equipment B. Outdoors C. Near water