Santee Cooper demonstrates how deadly power lines can be

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Electrocution is the second leading cause of death for construction workers; however, it’s not just the people working in that particular field who should worry about the dangers associated with live wires—especially power lines.

“A lot of people don’t really understand the danger or how fast you can come in contact with a power line,” stated Claud Wessinger, Santee Cooper’s senior training instructor. “It’s not like you get a light that comes on telling you, ‘Hey, you’re getting too close.’ It’s just suddenly you’re into the power lines, and then there’s not a whole lot you can do about it.”

On Thursday, Wessinger and two linemen conducted a live electricity demonstration at the Berkeley Co. Rescue Squad building in Moncks Corner to show how electricity is nothing to play around with.

“The rescue squad answers a lot of traffic accidents. A lot of times people hit power poles and we have to deal down power lines,” explained Bill Salisbury, the Berkeley Co. Rescue Squad’s chief. “If you run up to the scene, and don’t use your head and grab a power line and get electrocuted, you’re certainly not helping the person that’s in that car. You then become a victim.”

Berkeley County has seen more than its fair share of electrocutions over the last several years. Last year, Salisbury responded to Berkeley Electric Cooperative after a man was found dead near a transformer which caused mass power outages in Huger and Cainhoy.

“The employees entered the substation, they found a young man lying in a pit near a transformer and it was very obvious that he had been electrocuted,” stated Salisbury, who is also the coroner for Berkeley County.

In 2013, 68-year-old James Montgomery of Berkeley County was electrocuted while working on an ice machine. The same year, 34-year-old Sonny Harmon died after he was electrocuted while working on an air conditioning system.

“During Hugo, when the eye of the storm came through, and we had that moment of silence a lot of people went outside at night and there were a lot of power lines that were laying around on the ground that really weren’t giving any sign that they were energized and someone could easily come in contact with an energized power line,” stated Wessinger.

Since 1998, Wessinger has traveled all throughout South Carolina showing how power lines can kill you if you’re not careful.

“Just because it’s not arching or sparking doesn’t mean that it’s not energized,” stressed Wessinger. “If you do see any type of wire or conductor laying on the ground, if you think it’s a cable TV wire or telephone line, don’t assume that it is. Always assume it can be an energized power line, so stay away from it and keep other people away from it.”

During Wednesday demonstration, Wessinger used a tree limb, kite, toy raccoon and hot dog to show what happen when they each come in contact with a power line.

“A lot of people really think it’s funny to see that hot dog burn or blow up, but the whole idea is to show the effect that the voltage can do to human tissue, so that hot dog is representing human tissue or an organ,” stated Wessinger.

Wessinger urges people treat any kind of cable, wire, or power line as if it were live. It could mean the difference between life or death.