Henry County REMC camp a learning experience

Now in its fourth year, the Henry County REMC Summer Cooperative Camp continues to evolve, as do the participants.

 

This year, campers had their knowledge checked before the week-long event began.

 

“We gave them something new this year with a pre-camp assessment to gauge their knowledge on different topics and what they’re specifically interested in,” said Andrea Melton, Manager of Member Engagement and Communications. “Then we do a post-camp assessment and use that data to make camp better.”

 

That data will also provide some background information when applying for a grant, such as the one received this year from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s Underground Plant Protection Account for helping “to improve the safety of Indiana’s communities by protecting underground facilities through public awareness, training and education, or incentive programs.”

 

Those are just part of what campers were learning throughout the week. The middle of the week was highlighted by contributions from Hoosier Energy.

 

Wednesday kicked off with ATSSA Flagger Certification Training from Patrick Dowell and Matt Figg. A pair of campers who were 18 years old earned official certifications in traffic control and work zone safety. One of those was recent New Castle High School grad Jonathan Farmer.

 

“It was pretty cool,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll end up using it, but it’s a good experience and will look good on a resume.

 

“I’d like to turn what I learned at camp into a career eventually.”

 

After lunch, campers saw Henry County linemen use the Hoosier Energy Live Line Demo trailer to show the power of energized lines and discuss safety considerations. The demonstration featured items such as a hot dog and a balloon as well as a noisy example of a blown fuse.

 

“The live line demo shows how your power can go out and what they have to do to fix it,” said Connersville junior Colton Wise, whose older brother is already a lineman at RushShelby Energy and has his eye on a similar career.

 

The final part of the day featured a variety of electricity demonstrations from Dowell and Shaun Hayse. That included touch potential vs. step potential, how transformers work, blown fuses, tripped breakers, a demonstration of a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlet with a hair dryer in a bucket of water and finally a demonstration of the power of a magnetic field.

 

“I liked the magnet,” Wise said. “It’s really cool to see nothing is connected, but it’s still making energy. “This camp is helpful and can open job opportunities for you.”

 

Melton, who directed the camp alongside Henry County REMC COO Adam Warwas, sees plenty of opportunities in the future for the 2025 campers.

 

“I’ve been impressed with how they’ve answered questions,” she said. “The ones who were here last year are remembering numbers on the voltage as it steps down and types of fire extinguishers, so they’ve retained information. And some of them had really insightful answers on the pre-camp assessment with some specific paths they are interested in.”