Carroll EMC takes safety and storm preparedness seriously. While major storms provide real-world opportunities to activate the cooperative’s Emergency Response Plan, Carroll EMC also dedicates time to training before they occur.
That commitment includes its annual Disaster Day, designed to test procedures, strengthen response efforts and ensure employees are ready when the unexpected happens. To allow all employees to participate, the cooperative closes its offices for the day. Carroll EMC is the only electric cooperative in Georgia known to conduct a training event of this scale dedicated solely to preparedness.
This year’s Disaster Day, held Sept. 16, focused on emergency response coordination, giving employees a hands-on look at how different departments within the cooperative and community partners work together during critical events.
Employees participated in several training sessions throughout the day, beginning with a presentation from Georgia EMC and Balch & Bingham LLP on accident and incident investigations. Additional sessions covered control center operations and 911 coordination; outage response resources and equipment; team building led by the University of West Georgia; and designated emergency gathering locations and communication procedures.
The day concluded with a realistic emergency response exercise that tested employees’ ability to react under pressure.
During a demonstration at the training field, a lineman appeared to collapse in a bucket truck due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. Unknown to the audience, the incident was a planned “hurtman” scenario simulating a serious workplace emergency that could occur at any time, whether during normal operations or storm restoration efforts. Fellow crew members immediately called 911 and performed CPR while local first responders arrived on scene.
The exercise involved the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Carrollton City Fire Department, West Georgia Ambulance and life flight helicopter, allowing employees to witness firsthand how multiple agencies coordinate during a critical event.
Matt Jones, Manager of System Design and co-chair of this year’s Disaster Day planning committee, said the training helps employees prepare for what could happen.
“At the end of the day, we want our Members safe and our employees going home to their families,” Jones said. “Disaster Day gives us the chance to practice, learn and work through scenarios when every second counts.”