COM M E NTARY May is National Electrical Safety Month C
Chris Meyers General Manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
ooperatives across the coun- try emphasize
public electrical safety each May. The timing of this awareness cam- paign is particularly good for Oklahomans because this is the time of year when your co-op is likely to suffer localized damage to the infra- structure from severe
weather. Coincidentally, it is also a season when we are outside working in our yards and on our farms, around and about the electric distribu- tion system.
We don’t pay enough attention to electric lines,
they become a part of the landscape, and therefore we tend to forget they are there. Every year avoid- able electrical contact accidents occur because proper precautions are not taken when working around power lines. Accidents most often take place when we get in a hurry, let our guard down, and don’t give electric power lines the respect they deserve. In the event of a downed power line, always as- sume it is energized and report it to your local co- operative immediately. It may look harmless but
it could be deadly. This month Oklahoma Living is featuring a story of survival from one of our own electrical workers and the impact that an electri- cal-contact accident has had on him. He was lucky enough to get a second chance but he could have easily had a more tragic outcome. Read his story on Page 6—it will do more to convince you to respect power lines than anything I can say.
It’s not just during storms that we need to take precautions. Most electrical contact accidents in- volving the public occur when large construction equipment, farm equipment, pole saws, and ladders are extended to heights that can reach power lines. Other accidents occur from digging into under- ground lines without fi rst calling for locates. Because your member-owned electric infrastruc- ture is placed in and about your properties, it is im- portant that we remind everyone of the potential hazards. May is National Electrical Safety Month but your local cooperative works throughout the year to create awareness and teach electrical safety through school programs and through publica- tions such as Oklahoma Living and your cooperative newsletter.
It is our desire and hope that we never have an- other electrical contact injury involving an employ- ee or the public. Following safe work practices and being aware of the hazards around the home and farm will prevent them. If you have any questions about working safely around power lines, contact your local cooperative. OL
Rural electrifi cation roots run deep in new OAEC President's family
Glenn Propps President,
Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
erative boards.
A little history about my family and our ties to ru- ral electrifi cation: My father, Jewell Propps, served as a director on the Caddo Electric Cooperative board of directors for 28 years. He also had the opportu- nity to serve as the cooperative’s representative on the OAEC board for several years.
Dad believed in rural Oklahoma, in productive agriculture techniques and land conservation prac- tices, but most importantly, he believed in bringing electricity to farms all across Caddo County. You see, he knew that with electricity, lifestyles would be improved and rural living could become more convenient.
4 OKLAHOMA LIVING
his is my fi rst col- umn since being elected to serve as the President of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Coopera- tives (OAEC) on April 11. It is both an honor and a privilege to serve in this capacity, and to be recognized by my peers—those directors and trustees who serve on local electric coop-
T
Like my father before me, my wife, Barbara, and I farm and run cattle on our land in the Lookeba- Sickles area. We’ve raised peanuts, wheat, and Black Angus cattle, and now have leased some of our ground for growing seedless watermelons. We enjoy the standard of living made possible by electricity. Coincidently, I, too, have served on the Caddo
Electric board of directors for 28 years—and have served on the OAEC statewide board for several years, too—just as my father did before me. I’m proud to be able to follow in his footsteps, continu- ing to champion the cause of rural electrifi cation. In addition to our farming activities, Barbara and I have two grown daughters, and now have three granddaughters, all of whom live in the commu- nities of Elgin and Hinton. We keep the highways busy, shuttling back and forth to see those grand- kids! I often refl ect on the success of this nation’s ru- ral electrifi cation program. It was founded by people just like my dad, pioneers who cared not only about their neighbors, but about improving their quality of life.
That’s a legacy worth remembering—and worth
fi ghting for as we encounter new challenges that face our industry. Let’s tackle them head-on—just like our parents and grandparents did. Our grand- children will appreciate and respect us for that. OL
Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
Chris Meyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Manager Glenn Propps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .President Joe Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice-President Jimmy Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary-Treasurer
Staff
Sid Sperry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of PR & Communications
sksperry@oaec.coop
Anna Politano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Editor
editor@ok-living.coop
Larry Skoch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertising Manager
lskoch@ok-living.coop
Christy Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offi ce Manager
cjohnson@oaec.coop
Kirbi Bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accountant/Offi ce Manager Asst.
kbailey@oaec.coop
Emilia Buchanan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communications Assistant
ebuchanan@oaec.coop Hayley Imel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multimedia Specialist
himel@ok-living.coop
Editorial, Advertising and General Offi ces
P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309 Phone (405) 478-1455 Oklahoma Living online:
www.ok-living.coop
Subscriptions
$3.12 per year for rural electric cooperative members. $6.00 per year for non-members.
Cooperative Members: : Report change of ad- dress to your local rural electric cooperative. Non-Cooperative Members: Send address changes to Oklahoma Living, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.
Oklahoma Living (ISSN 1064-8968), USPS 407-040, is published monthly for consumer-members of Oklahoma’s rural electric cooperatives by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Coopera- tives, 2325 E. I-44 Service Road, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.
Circulation this issue: 316,158 Periodical postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives is a statewide service organization for the following electric cooperatives: Alfalfa, Arkansas Valley, Caddo, Canadian Valley, Central Rural, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cookson Hills, Cotton, East Central Oklahoma, Harmon, Indian, KAMO Power, Kay, Kiamichi, Kiwash, Lake Region, Northeast Oklahoma, Northfork, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Ozarks, People’s, Red River Valley, Rural, Southeastern, Southwest Rural, Tri-County, Verdigris Valley, and Western Farmers Electric Cooperative.
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