KENTUCKY POWER LIVE LINE DEMO TO VISIT HILLBILLY DAYS
PIKEVILLE, Ky., April 10, 2019 – Kentucky Power’s Live Line Demo trailer will be among the exhibits on display at this week’s Hillbilly Days, an annual fundraiser for Shriners Hospitals in Lexington, Kentucky, since 1977.
The Live Line Demo trailer is part of Kentucky Power’s safety outreach program and is used to train first responders and to raise public awareness about the dangers of electricity.
“Safety is more than a value, it is the foundation of who we are as a company,” said Brett Mattison, Kentucky Power president and chief operating officer. “Our Live Line Demo shows the dangers that exist near electrical equipment and how outages occur. This outreach shows the steps we take to make sure our employees go home safe every day as well as help protect our customers.”
During Hillbilly Days, Kentucky Power employees will staff the trailer near the parking garage on Hambley Boulevard. Demonstrations will be performed multiple times a day. On Thursday and Friday, demonstrations will take place at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. On Saturday, demonstrations will be at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. In addition to the Live Line Demo, Kentucky Power employees will participate in Saturday’s parade and staff an informational booth where attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win an electric smoker.
Based at the Pikeville Service Center, the Live Line Demo unit includes everything that can be found in neighborhoods but on a smaller scale. The utility poles, overhead lines, transformers and other electrical equipment are all on a mobile trailer that can be taken to audiences across the company’s service area. The equipment is energized by an onboard generator so that trained professionals can simulate what happens in real-life situations. The purpose is to provide education about all aspects of the electrical infrastructure while highlighting safety messages through physical demonstrations.
“The fire schools where we have taken the trailer love it,” said Bob Shurtleff, Kentucky Power external affairs manager. “We get requests all the time.”
As part of the presentation, employees recreate what will happen if a ladder makes contact with an overhead electric line or if a vehicle accident happens near a line. Tree limbs, ropes, balloons, kites, even guard rails and fences can become energized. Not only do viewers get to see the outcome of line contact, they hear the impact. A video of the demonstration is posted on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlYENcloREo
“Our primary focus with the Live Line Demo trailer was to demonstrate electrical safety to fire and police departments, it has broad applications beyond that to the general public,” Shurtleff said. “The dangers of electricity are real.”
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Ashland-based Kentucky Power serves about 168,000 customers in 20 eastern Kentucky counties.
