RALEIGH, N.C. [Oct. 22, 2025] – In a competition showcasing lifesaving skills, 24 electric co-op lineworkers from across North Carolina raced against the clock – and their peers – for the title of state champion at the 2025 Pole Top Rescue Competition held by North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives on Wednesday.

“North Carolina’s electric cooperative lineworkers exemplify the meaning of service to community,” said Becky Alston, director of job training and safety for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “Whether it’s day or night, a hurricane or an ice storm, lineworkers will be out in their communities ensuring power is reliable and outages are as brief as possible for the 2.8 million North Carolinians served by an electric cooperative.”

The competition takes place on de-energized equipment, simulating a scenario where a lineworker finds a coworker unconscious atop a utility pole. The competitor, dressed in full climbing gear, must radio for help, scale 20 feet up the utility pole, lower a weighted mannequin and begin CPR. Participants are scored based on time and precision.

This year’s Pole Top Rescue winners are:

• First place of $1,000: Cameron Clark, Lumbee River EMC with a time of 1:25
• Second place of $500: Cody Buck, Brunswick Electric with a time of 1:33
• Third place of $400: Tyler Stoltzfus, Surry-Yadkin EMC with a time of 1:43

“It’s a blessing to be back here and to win two times in a row,” said Cameron Clark, a general foreman with Lumbee River EMC, who earned first place for the second straight year. “The competitors across North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are incredibly skilled, and it’s an honor to work alongside them.”

While earning a top-three finish is a coveted achievement for these lineworkers, competitors say the true focus of the event is safety.

“Safety is always top of mind in everything we do,” said Cody Buck, a 1st class lineman with Brunswick Electric, who placed second this year. “While we hope a situation like this never occurs, knowing I can trust the people that I share the lines with gives me peace of mind and makes my job much safer.”

The biennial competition, hosted by North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, was held at the Nash Community College campus thanks to the valuable partnership between North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives and Nash Community College’s Lineman Training Academy. All North Carolina electric cooperative lineworkers must complete this same scenario in less than five minutes to maintain their certification to work on co-op power lines.

###

 North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives collectively serve approximately 2.8 million people in 93 of the state’s 100 counties. For more information, please visit ncelectriccooperatives.com.