North Carolina’s top electric cooperative line workers assembled in Raleigh on Thursday, May 30 to determine the 2019 Pole Top Rescue state champion. This biennial competition pits line workers against the clock and each other as they demonstrate essential lifesaving skills, and provides an up-close look at the speed, technique and safety knowledge required to maintain the lines that power the lives of electric cooperative members. To advance to this state championship competition, each competitor had to win a similar event at their local cooperative.
During the competition, each line worker must execute a scenario that finds a fellow worker 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 105-pound mannequin and begin lifesaving procedures. All North Carolina electric cooperative line workers must complete this same scenario in less than five minutes to maintain their certification to work on co-op lines.
The state championship winners are:
First Place: Levi Fagan, EnergyUnited, 1 minute, 36.4 seconds
Second Place: Austin Story, Blue Ridge Energy, 1 minute, 37.8 seconds
Third Place: Justin Ward, Brunswick Electric, 1 minute, 45.9 seconds
“This championship highlights just how rigorous and challenging it is to be a line worker,” said Dale Lambert, CEO of Asheboro-based co-op Randolph EMC and the competition’s master of ceremonies. “These highly trained individuals play a critical role in co-op operations, and we can’t thank them enough for the vital service they provide to our members and communities.”
A list of all 23 competitors and the cooperatives they represent is below. Additional photos are available in our Facebook album.
Electric Cooperative | Competitor | Counties Served |
Albemarle EMC | Matt Byrum | Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Perquimans, Pasquotank |
Blue Ridge Energy | Austin Story | Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Watauga, Wilkes |
Brunswick Electric | Justin Ward | Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Robeson |
Cape Hatteras EC | Jonathan Vernesoni | Dare |
Carteret-Craven EC | Justin Williford | Carteret, Craven, Jones, Onslow |
Central Electric | Cameron Bennett | Chatham, Harnett, Lee, Moore, Randolph |
Edgecombe-Martin County EMC | Blake Fleming | Beaufort, Bertie, Edgecombe, Halifax, Martin, Nash, Pitt, Wilson |
EnergyUnited | Levi Fagan | Alexander, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Wilkes, Yadkin |
Four County EMC | Reuben Dunn | Bladen, Columbus, Duplin, Onslow, Pender, Sampson |
French Broad EMC | Brad Payne | Buncombe, Madison, Mitchell, Yancey |
Halifax EMC | Nick Cannon | Halifax, Martin, Nash, Warren |
Lumbee River EMC | Cameron Clark | Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, Scotland |
Pee Dee Electric | Kenny Simmons | Anson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly, Union |
Piedmont Electric | Jonathan Jacobs | Alamance, Caswell, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person |
Randolph EMC | Austin Whitaker | Alamance, Chatham, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph |
Roanoke EC | Russ Flythe | Bertie, Chowan, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampton, Perquimans |
Rutherford EMC | Kyle Daves | Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford |
South River EMC | Daniel Purvis | Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Sampson |
Surry-Yadkin EMC | Tyler Stoltzfus | Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin |
Tideland EMC | Josh Bain | Beaufort, Craven, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, Washington |
Tri-County EMC | Parker Kennedy | Duplin, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson |
Union Power Cooperative | Josh Morrison | Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, Union |
Wake Electric | Cory Lawrence | Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Nash, Vance, Wake |