Raleigh, N.C. —Leonard Person, a right-of-way crew foreman with Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) of Dudley is the 10th Pole Top Rescue Champion for North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. Person credited his victory to hard work and practice. Person was also the 9th Pole Top Rescue Competition winner.
Person beat 24 other local champions Tuesday at the state competition held at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh. He recorded a contest record time, 1-minute, 36.72 seconds.
Person was competing against himself today. His goal was to beat his own record-breaking time from 2003, when he completed the drill in 1-minute and 39.9 seconds.
The pole top rescue drill consists of a lineman placing an emergency radio call, donning climbing gear, scaling 20 feet up a utility pole, rigging a pulley, lowering a 120-pound mannequin and beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Placing second was Jason Worley of French Broad EMC, based in Marshall. Worley finished the drill in 1-minute, 54.3 seconds. Mike Mills of Surry-Yadkin EMC, based in Dobson, placed third with a time of 1-minute, 57.65 seconds. The fourth place winner was Frank McIntrye, Jr. of Pee Dee Electric, based in Wadesboro. His time was 2-minutes, 1.25 seconds. Rounding out the top five competitors was Shay Reed of EnergyUnited, headquartered in Statesville, with a time of 2-minutes, 1.34 seconds.
More than 694 North Carolina electric cooperative linemen began the year competing for the 2006 title. Winners of local cooperative and regional competitions advanced to Tuesday’s state championships.
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives provide energy to 2.4 million people in 93 of 100 counties, primarily in the rural parts of state. The electric cooperatives own and maintain 92,000 miles of power lines, by far the most of any electric utility in North Carolina.
For times of each competitor, see chart below.
|
Name of Contestant
|
Electric Cooperative
|
Time
(Minutes:seconds) |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Byrum | Albemarle EMC, based in Hertford, NC |
2:38.13
|
| Kevin Norris | Blue Ridge EMC, based in Lenoir, NC |
2:46.74
|
| Ervin Etheridge | Brunswick EMC, based in Shallotte, NC |
2:22.14
|
| Kerry Hooper | Cape Hatteras EC based in Buxton, NC |
3:26.68
|
| Ramey Chamblin | Carteret-Craven EC, based in Newport, NC |
3:50.95
|
| Harris Morrison | Central EMC, based in Sanford, NC |
2:18.08
|
| Mike Johnson | Edgecombe-Martin County EMC, based in Tarboro, NC |
2:40.39
|
| Shay Reed- 5th place |
EnergyUnited, based in Statesville, NC |
2:01.34
|
| James Thigpen | Four County EMC, based in Burgaw, NC |
2:19.34
|
| Jason Worley- 2nd place |
French Broad EMC, based in Marshall, NC |
1:54.30
|
| Steve Height | Halifax EMC, based in Enfield, NC |
DQ
|
| Brian Noland | Haywood EMC, based in Waynesville, NC |
2:17.86
|
| David Hunt | Lumbee River EMC, based in Red Springs, NC |
2:07.66
|
| Frank McIntyre- 4th place |
Pee Dee Electric, based in Wadesboro, NC |
2:01.25
|
| Brent Talley | Piedmont EMC, based in Hillsborough, NC |
3:01.81
|
| Tim Rouse | Pitt & Greene EMC, based in Farmville, NC |
2:27.79
|
| Richard Thomas | Randolph EMC, based in Asheboro, NC |
2:29.27
|
| Charles Bryant | Roanoke EC, based in Roanoke Rapids, NC |
2:16.94
|
| Scott Murray | Rutherford EMC, based in Forest City, NC |
2:13.10
|
| Timmy Williams | South River EMC, based in Dunn, NC |
2:14.66
|
| Mike Mills- 3rd place |
Surry-Yadkin EMC, based in Dobson, NC |
1:57.65
|
| Brad Cox | Tideland EMC, based in Pantego, NC |
2:32.45
|
| Leonard Person- 1st place |
Tri-County EMC, based in Dudley, NC |
1:36.72
|
| Andy Newsome | Union Power, based in Monroe, NC |
2:02.41
|
| Jamie Wilson | Wake Electric, based in Wake Forest, NC |
2:51.15
|