January 13, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A 'shocking' lesson: WPS linemen teach Nativity students about electricity
A 'shocking' lesson: WPS linemen teach Nativity students about electricity
By Kayla Thomason-
The men used a path-to-ground display board to illustrate the lesson.
"We were teaching them the importance of staying inside a vehicle during a car-(power) pole accident," Satterburg said. "We were teaching them to definitely call in for locates. It's a free service to find out where the utilities are in the ground before digging any type of hole."
The utility employees also taught the students the difference between conductors and insulators, warned them to stay out of substations, and explained where electricity is generated and how it gets to homes, schools and other buildings.
The students learned what the utility's different colored flag markers mean and that they should not be moved.
Satterburg was glad to see the children stay engaged during the presentation.
"It's excellent, you can see their faces light up when Sparky (a metal prop man) get burned or we actually set that tree on fire and show them how a tree really is conductive and why a tree is conductive just like our human bodies are, because we have so much water inside of us," he said.
Satterburg showed the students a piece of glass, which had been sand before a live electrical wire hit it and transformed it.
He also illustrated the dangers of having hair dryers near water.
A hair dryer that was plugged into a socket but not turned on touched a little tray of water and a light bulb went on, demonstrating that electricity was still flowing to the device even though it wasn't running.
Students were advised to unplug appliances when they are done using them, especially a toaster when trying to pull something out of it.
"Your heart operates on electrical impulses and it takes a tenth of one amp to disturb that cycle and it could actually stop your heartbeat," Satterburg said.
If people are in a car-power pole accident they should stay inside the vehicle, the linemen said. Like a bird on a wire, once you try to leave your vehicle the electricity can use your body to get to the ground.
"Our key safety messages are always respect electricity, avoid any down wires that you see, stay away from them, and we just ask that you please call us and let us know if you see something that you think is hazardous," Satterburg said.
Paula Schneider, a science/math teacher at Nativity Catholic School, thought the presentation was informative and necessary.
"I think it's very important for students to have this information," she said. "They don't learn it anywhere else and it could save their lives."
The sixth- through eighth-grade students saw the presentation, which is held each year, so for some grades it was new and for others it was their third time hearing the information.
Sixth grader Noelle St. Pierre learned quite a bit during the presentation.
"I thought it was interesting," she said. "It was a little scary, but I learned a lot from it."
St. Pierre learned what to do if she is in an automobile accident and a power line is on the car.
She said it was very important to learn that information because people can easily end up in those situations.
"I like the part when the fake guy touched the tree on the powe line and started on fire," she said.
Grace Ratty, also a sixth grader, thought the presentation was both informative and fun.
"I thought it was very interesting and very fun to learn about the electricity and how dangerous it is," she said.
Ratty said she learned not to put electrical cords under rugs or where you walk because that could cause damage to them and start a fire.
Ratty thought the presentation was very important because people of all ages can end up in dangerous electrical situations and the knowledge she learned could save her life.
"(My favorite part of the presentation was) when Chris put the man on the car and showed how we could get electrocuted," she said.
"I thought it was very educational and I liked the props and it taught me a life lesson," added student Emma Germaine.
For gas emergencies evacuate the house immediately and call WPS at 800-450-7280.
For electric emergencies such as an electrical outage call 800-450-7240.
For residential 24-hour customer service call 800-450-7260.
Before you dig call 811, it's a free number and they find underground utilities.
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
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