Duke Energy held a training session this week to help first responders prepare for emergencies with downed power lines. – Duke Energy held a training session this week to help first responders prepare for emergencies with downed power lines.
Bad weather can lead to accidents, including damaged electrical poles, wires, and transformers, which are serious safety risks that can result in injuries or fatalities. Knowing what to do and what not to do in situations where there is a live line can be the difference between life and death.
The training began in the classroom, where first responders from around Central Florida learned best practices regarding electricity safety.
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Ivan White, lead health and safety professional at Duke Energy, emphasized the importance of awareness for all citizens, not just first responders.
“We want to bring some awareness to the community, really just driving safe practices for them to adhere by,” he said.
Following the classroom instruction, the training moved outside for real-world scenarios. First responders got to see a live demonstration, teaching them invaluable information that can help them and the community stay safe.
“So a lot of the the learning that happens here is about some of the differences with some of the things that they could see in the field with a downed line or a car hit pole scenario,” White explained.
“Some of the things that we would ask them to do, essentially some of the 811 locate information that we hope they do so that when we get into an underground power line, they know to step back, call a professional, and let us have a look at it.”
Downed power lines are common during severe weather, including natural disasters. In October, News 6 met an Orlando family whose house caught fire after a downed live wire sparked a massive blaze during Hurricane Milton.
As hurricane season continues, Duke Energy reminds the public about the hazards of downed lines.
“Never assume anything is de-energized. Always stay 30 feet away from anything down and always, always call us and let us respond and validate what’s going on in the field,” White advised.
The safety training was available to teams from Winter Garden, Windermere, Ocoee and Oakland, as well as Orange County. The safety training included a live-line demonstration, which showed the first responders how to interact around power lines and demonstrate various electrical and safety scenarios.
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