In late March, approximately 50 safety professionals from North and South Carolina electric cooperatives gathered at Brunswick Electric’s headquarters for a special, one-day safety seminar. As a leader in safety, BEMC saw this as an opportunity to strengthen relationships and open lines of communication between co-ops across state lines to assist each other in preparing for current and future safety challenges facing the industry. Topics included educational opportunities, personal protection equipment, compliance issues, equipment certifications, and training and development.

Cooperation among cooperatives is one of seven guiding principles shared by electric co-ops across the nation. Members most commonly see this principle in action after a hurricane or ice storm when line technicians from unaffected areas travel to affected areas to aid in power restoration efforts. Events such as this safety seminar provide an opportunity for cooperation among co-ops when they are not in crisis mode.