Welcome! The Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives (AREA) is a member-owned federation of 22 electric distribution cooperatives.

Taking our safety message to outside groups

AREA’s staff has a heavy focus on safety for our co-op personnel, but the staff also takes the message of safety to groups outside the realm of rural electricity.

Director of safety, loss control and regulatory compliance Michael Kelley spoke to a group of about 50 Montgomery County engineering department personnel in mid-January. This group of traffic controllers (flaggers), heavy equipment drivers and right-of-way personnel can help co-ops by being aware of possible electrical hazards. But more than that, delivering a safety message in person helps groups who may not know anything about our co-ops to feel comfortable in contacting us.

Kelley’s presentation focused on obvious electrical hazards as well as traffic control and how to approach an accident scene that may involve power lines. He also stressed to the group that they are each other’s eyes and ears. “It’s about doing everything you can to protect each other,” he told the group.