Linemen with Daviess-Martin County REMC recently sharpened their safety skills during our cooperative’s annual bucket and pole-top rescue training.

With temperatures near 90 degrees and high humidity, each lineman took turns performing both types of rescues in an impressive display of skill, stamina, and industry knowledge.

What is a pole-top rescue?

The purpose of pole-top rescue training is simple: to prepare linemen to respond if a co-worker is ever injured or incapacitated while working on a utility pole. It is a situation no one wants to face, but practicing these rescue procedures each year helps ensure crews are ready when it matters most.

As part of the training, each lineman is required to conduct a mock radio call to notify headquarters and emergency medical personnel of an on-the-job incident.

After radioing for assistance and communicating that a pole-top rescue is underway, the lineman climbs the pole, secures the incapacitated individual — in this case, a weighted, life-size training dummy — and safely lowers them to the ground using rope rescue techniques.

What is a bucket rescue?

Like a pole-top rescue, this situation involves an injured co-worker. However, instead of being incapacitated on a utility pole, the individual is in a bucket used to transport linemen to elevated work areas.

In this portion of the training, linemen are required to make a similar radio call before beginning the rescue. Following the mock transmission, each lineman takes turns operating the bucket truck controls to lower the training dummy to the ground. The bucket is then tilted to a position that allows the dummy to be safely removed.

Ten individuals from Daviess-Martin County REMC participated in this annual training, with each completing their rescues well within the required time frame. We are fortunate to have such an incredible crew on our team.

 
Daviess-Martin County REMC linemen complete their annual pole-top and bucket rescue training under the supervision of DMREMC management and a representative from Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC).