Approximately 50 safety professionals from North and South Carolina electric cooperatives gathered in Brunswick County on March 27 to discuss current issues facing the industry.
The free event, organized and hosted by Supply-based Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation, was developed in an effort to strengthen relationships and open lines of communication between co-ops from the two states to assist each other in preparing for current and future safety challenges.
“Cooperation among cooperatives is certainly not a new concept,” said Don Hughes, Brunswick Electric’s General Manager and CEO. “It’s a principle that guides our business and is most commonly seen during major outage events such as hurricanes and ice storms. However, hosting this type of event allows us the opportunity to develop and strengthen relationships with professionals from co-ops across state lines when we’re not in the middle of a crisis.”
The intensive one-day seminar featured 18 presentations from a variety of speakers, including North and South Carolina co-op safety personnel, statewide associates and equipment vendors. Topics included educational opportunities, personal protection equipment, compliance issues, equipment certifications, and training and development.
“We face many of the same challenges and share the same concerns as our neighbors in South Carolina, and this consortium provided an opportunity to discuss those issues in a relaxed and open forum,” Hughes said. “We appreciate all who attended and those who helped make this event a success.”
