Rescuing ‘Randy’

Electric department hosts simulated emergency training

Members of the Lansdale Electric department had a chance this week to help their colleagues learn what to do in an emergency.

Borough Manager John Ernst reported Wednesday night on training held earlier that day, when staff helped fellow linesmen go, quite literally, above and beyond their normal training.

“The electric department hosted a telephone pole rescue training program, that was attended by regional electric departments: Perkasie, Quakertown, Ephrata, all in cooperation with AMP,” said borough Manager John Ernst.

“Our electric department, along with others, goes through training programs on a regular basis, and this particular training concentrated on,

“This particular training concentrated on, how do we remove an injured workman who’s in a bucket, that may have suffered a catastrophe in the air?”

— Borough Manager John Ernst

how do we remove an injured workman who’s in a bucket, that may have suffered a catastrophe in the air,” Ernst said.

American Municipal Power is the regional organization through which the town buys electricity wholesale and collaborates on joint purchasing, environmental, and other electricity-related issues. In a series of photos posted on the department’s Facebook page Wednesday morning, the electric department linemen can be seen taking part in pole top rescue training with “Rescue Randy,” a training dummy owned by the department, as he was hoisted up and down as staff learn how to do so. Ernst thanked electric Superintendent Andy Krauss and his staff for staying on top of their training, and assisting others in doing the same.

For more on the Lansdale Electric department visit www.Lansdale.org or search for “Lansdale Electric” on Facebook.

Lansdale Electric lineman Jeff Horvath, on pole, and Foreman Joe Gaburon in bucket train with “Randy,” a dummy meant to simulate a human having an emergency. PHOTO COURTESY OF LANSDALE ELECTRIC

Lansdale Electric lead lineman Matt Hamilton, on utility pole, and a colleague from another regional electric department hoists “Randy,” a dummy meant to simulate a human having an emergency. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LANSDALE ELECTRIC

Lansdale Electric Group Leader Lineman Ben Curran lifts “Randy,” a dummy meant to simulate a human having an emergency.