January 16, 2017 at 2:48 p.m.
WPS linemen teach NCSS students about electricity
WPS linemen teach NCSS students about electricity
By Kayla Thomason-
Chris Satterburg, power lineman with WPS, and Chris Courtney, lead power lineman, used Powerpoint presentations and a path-to-ground display board to visual demonstrate the power of electricity.
They described how electricity travels, safe practices in the home and what to do in a car-pole accident.
"The car-pole accident is a huge thing for us," Courtney said. "We really key in on that because all the kids are going to be driving cars for the rest of their life."
The linemen said drivers should stay in their vehicles and wait for someone to turn off the power and give the all-clear, unless there is a fire.
"Stay in the vehicle should they be in a car-pole accident, unless it's on fire," Courtney said. "Just wait for us to show up, we will get them out safely."
"We love coming out here and working with the kids, especially on the car-pole accidents," he added. "The kids always ask awesome questions and it just keeps me coming back year after year."
The linemen cautioned the students about digging holes and told them to call 811 before they dig so they don't accidently damage dangerous items underground.
The students were also told what the colored flags mean and to leave them alone.
Karissa Thurn, eighth-grader, has seen the presentation a few times but always finds it interesting.
"I think it was pretty informative because I would have definitely stepped out of the car if I hit a power line," she said.
Her favorite part of the presentation was the demonstrations.
"I like the examples," Thurn said. "I'm more of a visual person so I thought that was pretty cool."
Jordan Braszke, sixth-grader, was engrossed in the presentation. This was his first time seeing it.
"I think it was exciting," Braszke said. "I think it would be fun to do the job but I still have a good career I want to go in because I'm good at math and stuff."
He liked the videos, especially the one with the explosion, as he said he knew it would take special chemicals to put it out and not just water.
"I think it's pretty awesome that they take time out of their day to actually help," Braszke said. "I think the whole presentation was awesome."
Kristin Higgins, advisor for the sixth-to-eighth grade group, enjoyed seeing the students so enthralled in the presentation.
"Every year we do this they are always amazed at the power of electricity and even at my age I need a reminder about it because it's something we just always take for granted," she said, adding that the students' questions were insightful and they were engaged in the presentation.
She said the students like the demonstrations, the video of the electricity arching, and hearing that the bear in the slide show lived through its electrocution and fall from a pole.
WPS has come to NCSS every year since the school opened and Higgins is glad they come to talk to her students.
"I love it because they're experts and I'm not," she said. "It's always good to have an outside expert come in, especially guys like these who are so knowledgeable and so good with kids. Every time we have a presentation they connect with the kids, the kids are respectful of them and they're respectful of the kids and it's always a great partnership."
She is very thankful for the linemen's time.
"I am very grateful to be part of a community that is supportive of the kids and has people like this that are willing to take time out of their day to come and be the experts," she said.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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