Georgia Magazine - January 2023 - 14

Currents
News from Georgia's electric co-ops * Compiled by Amy Schneider
EMC employees honored for saving lives
E
ight employees from six electric membership
cooperatives (EMCs) were honored for their heroism
at Tucker-based Georgia EMC's annual meeting at the
Hyatt Regency Savannah on Nov. 7. The presentation of the Life
Saving Awards is a highlight of the organization's meeting and
underscores the commitment to safety throughout the electric
cooperative industry.
The honorees were:
* Dustin Benedict, a fiber optic technician at Blue Ridge
Mountain EMC in Young Harris: Benedict and his family were
at the beach in Panama City Beach, Fla., in June when a woman
began screaming that her husband and son were in danger of
drowning in the rough waves. Benedict was the only beachgoer
to respond and fought the waves to rescue the pair and pull
them back to safety.
* Matt Frame, apprentice lineman at GreyStone Power Corp.
in Hiram: Frame identified the signs of choking when his
4-year-old daughter, Rhylan, went silent and put her hands over
her mouth. Using choking-response techniques appropriate
for small children, Frame delivered back blows and dislodged a
chunk of pizza dough about the size of a golf ball.
* Haley Bates, customer service representative; Josh Scoville,
customer success coordinator; and Jonathan Stewart, energy
services representative, Tri-County EMC in Gray: The trio of
employees worked together to get help for a contractor who had
a potentially fatal stroke. Bates, who was a good friend of the
man and knew his stubborn streak, was the first to recognize
that something was wrong. She enlisted Scoville and Stewart to
help arrange emergency transportation to the hospital before
the man could attempt to go home and refuse help.
* Will Wade, meter technician at Millen-based Planters EMC:
Wade noticed that Chris Drake, operations manager, was
clutching his throat in February to indicate that his airway was
blocked after sipping his coffee. Wade sprang into action and
performed the Heimlich maneuver. On the second attempt, he
succeeded in clearing Drake's airway.
* Brett Tucker, coordinator of land and legal rights for Tuckerbased
Georgia Transmission Corp.: Tucker saw an overturned
box truck on a lonely stretch of Interstate 16 near Dublin in
March and went to assist. The truck was lying on the driver'sside
door, and the driver could not get out. Tucker helped the
driver climb out and stayed with him until first responders
arrived to treat the man's minor injuries. The driver noted that
the person who caused the accident fled the scene and no one
else had stopped to help until Tucker arrived.
* Cindy Gasque, member care representative at Covingtonbased
Snapping Shoals EMC: Gasque saved her father's life on
Father's Day in June. Her father, Garland Worley, 80, was stung
by a wasp and began to experience an allergic reaction, so
Gasque gave him a Benadryl. When he said he couldn't breathe,
his daughter called 911 and followed the operator's instructions
14 Georgia Magazine January 2023
Life Saving Award winners were, from left, Dustin Benedict, Will Wade,
Matt Frame, Haley Bates, Jonathan Stewart, Josh Scoville and Brett
Tucker. Cindy Gasque, the eighth recipient, was not able to attend the
ceremony.
to loosen his clothing and keep him cool by fanning him
and applying packages of frozen vegetables. By the time the
ambulance arrived, Worley had lost consciousness and required
artificial respiration, but his condition improved at the hospital,
where doctors said that Gasque's quick action saved his life.
The meeting also recognized EMCs that recorded no lost-time
injuries and EMCs that completed safety certifications.
No Lost Time awards:
* Upson EMC (Thomaston), 14 consecutive years;
* Coastal Electric Cooperative (Midway) and Georgia
Transmission Corp., nine consecutive years;
* Georgia System Operations Corp. (Tucker), seven
consecutive years;
* Habersham EMC (Clarkesville) and Slash Pine EMC
(Homerville), four consecutive years;
* Southern Rivers Energy (Barnesville), three consecutive
years;
* Excelsior EMC (Metter) and Rayle EMC (Washington), two
consecutive years; and
* Carroll EMC (Carrollton), Jackson EMC (Jefferson), Oconee
EMC (Dudley), Walton EMC (Monroe) and Washington EMC
(Sandersville), one year.
Safety accreditation honorees:
* Carroll EMC earned accreditation through the Arlington,
Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's Rural
Electric Safety Achievement Program.
* Carroll EMC, Central Georgia EMC (Jackson), Cobb EMC
(Marietta), Colquitt EMC (Moultrie), Hart EMC (Hartwell), Irwin
EMC (Ocilla), Planters EMC, Satilla Rural EMC (Alma) and
Upson EMC earned accreditation through the Electric
Cooperative Safety Accreditation Program of Georgia.
CASEY JONES
Georgia Magazine - January 2023

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