Many schools across the country are facing big challenges as a result of the pandemic. When a Wooster line crew saw a chance to help out a local elementary school, they hopped at the chance.
Line Servicer Marc Conley was sent to Fredericksburg Elementary School April 15 to disconnect and remove a secondary power line. The line was feeding school zone lights that were set to be taken down.
When Conley arrived he alerted the school that the power line was the school’s property and, accordingly, it was their responsibility to handle the issue. That was bad news: a job like this would be complicated and time-consuming for Fredericksburg Elementary.
Eager to help, Conley contacted Distribution System Supervisor Rick Kistler to see whether the Wooster line department might be able to tackle the project. Kistler brought the idea up to his team and their response was swift: yes.
“The team we have here is very community-oriented,” Kistler said. “When something comes up like this they’re always eager to help. We even had a couple guys who had plans but they changed them so they could help out.”
A team that included lineworkers Conley, Jeff Gibson, Kyle Maxwell, Ernest McCormick and Kyle Strock, plus Kistler and Line Crew Supervisor Jeff Mullet, volunteered to do the job after work. With the help of two school maintenance employees diverting traffic, the crew had the power line gone in about an hour.
