John Friley showed Emerson students how Electric Division employees utilize bucket trucks.
In observance of Public Power Week from October 8-12, line workers from the Westerville City Electric Division came to several school buildings with bucket trucks to speak with students about electricity and circuits, electric safety and energy careers. John Friley visited Emerson Elementary, where he showed youngsters a variety of tools that he uses, and gave them a demonstration of how bucket trucks work. Much of what he shared matches the fourth grade science curriculum. Children learned about insulators and conductors, and gained an appreciation for the kind of strength and stamina that is required to work on power lines. Sometimes, they were told, workers must climb up utility poles without the aid of a bucket truck to get to broken transformers and power cables.
All three fourth grade classes enjoyed the presentation. “The coolest part was seeing all of the equipment and learning how you have to have two layers of insulation to be safe,” remarked student Avery Long. Soren Hubble, another Emerson pupil, enjoyed seeing all of the special tools and added that he was glad to hear that “birds don’t get electrocuted.”