JA N UA RY
|
2020
SECONEWS Your SECO Energy Board of Trustees recently approved our 2020 SECO Scholarship Program. A total of $36,000 is available for 12 recipients to receive $3,000 each.
of energy industry workers are between the ages of 41 and 50. An aging workforce and the need for employees interested in highly-skilled careers in the energy industry are driving the eligibility change in SECO’s 2020 Scholarship Program.
961600
To be eligible to apply, the student must be This year we are interested in pursuing a career in the energy sector. adjusting the eligibility requirements to better The student must be a graduating senior who lives align with our corporate goals. The focus of the in a home served by SECO Energy. Awardees must be enrolled full-time in scholarship program is shifting an accredited Florida college, to a recruitment tool to spark THIS YEAR WE university or vocational/ an interest in energy industry ARE ADJUSTING technical school by the end careers. Our goal is to attract of 2020. Students should local students who want to THE ELIGIBILITY also be pursuing a degree or come to SECO Energy for REQUIREMENTS TO certification in technology, internship opportunities during BETTER ALIGN WITH engineering, math or business. breaks and begin their careers with us after graduation. OUR CORPORATE Applications are available 097601 GOALS. beginning January 2, 2020 at The U.S. Department of SECOEnergy.com > Your CoEnergy (DOE) reports that almost 2 million people are employed in jobs op > Scholarships. For those without Internet related to electric power generation and fuels. access, applications are also available in all Member In that group, nearly half a million people are Service Centers. The application must be received employed in jobs directly related to electric power in our corporate offices on or before Friday, March 27, 2020. generation, transmission and distribution.
Continued on page 3
The DOE also reports the number of jobs in the energy sector is increasing - thus the demand for a skilled workforce follows. New careers are evolving that focus on renewable energy, natural gas and information and communications technology. But the energy industry workforce is aging. Almost thirty percent of energy industry employees are on the cusp of retirement or between the ages of 51 and 60. Furthermore, thirty-three percent
INSIDE THIS ISSUE • SECO Champion • Winter Heating • SECO Champ • Safety Corner • Florida Fauna & Flora JANUARY 2020 | SECO NEWS
1
ENEIDA ROBAINA 400010
SENIOR STAFF ASSISTANT
“MY FAMILY IS SUPPORTIVE WHEN DUTY CALLS.” Eneida Robaina is a Senior Staff Assistant in Corporate Communications. Eneida also coordinates SECO’s Scholarship Program and has implemented the program changes to cultivate our future workforce. Eneida organizes the applications, answers scholarship inquiries and arranges the yearly awards banquet for recipients and their families.
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 10 YEARS
Eneida moved to Sumterville from South Florida in 2001 with her family. She is a world traveler and also enjoys spending weekends on the family boat. Her family is understanding when Eneida works long hours or overnights in her role in the Emergency Restoration Plan during major weather events like Hurricane Irma. Eneida believes she is incredibly fortunate to work at SECO and is proud to represent a utility that truly puts its members first. Eneida is a SECO employee and a member, too.
ADVICE FROM THE
OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC HAPPY NEW YEAR! Many of us ring in the new year with a list of resolutions. The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers guidance on the best date in January 2020 to begin some of the most popular resolutions. The best day to quit smoking is January 6 or 11. Best day to color your hair on January 4 – 6, straighten your hair is January 20 or 21 or wait until January 24 – 26 for a new perm. Start your diet on January 14 or 19 and travel for pleasure on January 11 or 12 – before starting your New Year diet!
659202 JANUARY 2020 | SECO NEWS
2
If you have questions about the scholarship program, email communications@secoenergy. com. Or you can call and visit with Eneida Robaina in the Corporate Communications group. Eneida manages the scholarship program and is also this month’s SECO Champion. Read about her on the opposite page and watch her video on YouTube.
embraces two of the seven cooperative principles observed by SECO: Concern for Community and Education, Training and Information. I wish our applicants the best and look forward to meeting our scholarship winners at the awards banquet on May 18, 2020. Sincerely,
623100 In addition to transforming into a viable recruiting tool, our Scholarship Program
Jim Duncan Chief Executive Officer
WINTER HEATING WOOD-BURNING FIREPLACES
During winter months, will a wood-burning fireplace heat your home more efficiently than your HVAC unit? SECO’s Energy Services experts report it’s not likely. A wood-burning fireplace pulls oxygen and heat from other areas in your home. As much as 30 percent of that heat goes up the chimney creating a drop in your home’s temperature. When the temperature drops, your HVAC unit cycles more frequently.
often decorative plate that is installed at the back of the fireplace. Not only does this protect the fireplace masonry, it absorbs the heat and reflects it into the room.
050012 Your best bet for fireplace energy efficiency is to not use the fireplace in conjunction with your HVAC unit. The glow from a wood-burning fire adds a lovely ambiance to a room and is perfect for times when it is only a little chilly.
To increase fireplace efficiency, consider installing glass doors or a fireback. Doors will serve as a barrier that reduces the amount of warm indoor air that escapes through the chimney. In the summer, glass doors will help prevent warm outside air from entering your home through the chimney. A fireback is an iron or steel
Don’t forget to look for the last six digits of your account number in this month’s SECO News. You can email us at customerservice@secoenergy.com or call if your number appears. Six winners will be drawn at random from all submissions. Winners receive a $25 gift card.
JANUARY 2020 | SECO NEWS
3
FLORIDA MANATEE
SAFETY
CORNER KIDS’ ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS
fauna & flora
T
he Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is a slow-moving aquatic animal with an elongated round body that tapers to a flat paddle-shaped tail. Its two forelimbs, each with three or four nails, are called flippers. The manatee’s head and face are wrinkled with whiskers on its snout. Adult manatees weigh between 800 and 1,200 pounds and grow to 10 feet in length. It eats a variety of plants and can consume 10 to 15 percent of its body weight in vegetation daily. It surfaces every 3 to 5 minutes to breathe but can remain underwater for up to 20 minutes. Female manatees give birth once every 2 to 5 years after a gestation period of 13 months. At birth, calves weigh an average of 60 pounds and are nursed for 1 to 2 years. Found in fresh or saltwater, manatees move into Florida’s warm waters and are sited in shallow areas from November 15 to March 31.
784902
Children are innately curious and enjoy learning about the word they live in. Teach children and grandchildren to be cautious around energized equipment inside and outside the home.
Install outlet protectors in rooms where children can reach electrical outlets. Children and adults can be shocked or injured by placing foreign objects in outlets. Teach children to never operate appliances without a responsible adult present. Water and electricity don’t mix – never place electronics near water. Inspect trees where children are playing to ensure that branches are far away from overhead power lines. Do not let children climb trees growing close to electric lines. Never touch outdoor wires with any part of your body, toys or other objects. Keep kites, balloons, drones and toy planes away from poles and wires. Children should never be allowed to play near substations or underground transformers. For more electrical safety tips, visit SECOEnergy.com > Safety > Electrical Safety.
It is illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill manatees. Manatees have no natural predators, but its slowmoving speeds put it at risk of being injured or killed by fast-moving boat propellers. Manatees are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act. Jerry D. Hatfield
The Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, January 27, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. in the Corporate Offices at 330 South US HWY 301 in Sumterville. A Trustees’ meeting will also be held on Monday, February 24, 2020
District 3
Richard Dennison
Ray Vick
Vice President District 4
District 5
Bill James Secretary-Treasurer District 8
Scott D. Boyatt 24/7 Job Hotline: Report an Outage: secoenergyjobs.com stormcenter.secoenergy.com
Gerald B. Anderson
President District 9
District 1
Dillard B. Boyatt District 2
4 SECO Energy.com JANUARY 2020 | SECO SECO Energy is an NEWS equal opportunity provider and employer.
Earl Muffett District 6
Joseph Kusiak District 7