June 5, 2006

FKEC PARTICIPATES IN STANLEY SWITLIK SCHOOL CAREER DAY

Florida Keys Electric Cooperative again participated in the Stanley Switlik School annual career day in Marathon this year.

The younger students were treated to an outside demonstration of heavy equipment including two bucket trucks and a chipper truck. FKEC lineman, tree crew members and equipment operators participated in explaining the dangers of electricity and in wowing the students by extending the arms of the bucket trucks and by chipping up tree branches. The students were also given safety equipment to try on and shown the various tools and gear. FKEC's volunteers included Leslie Boyanton, Ramon Collazo, Jason Crisp, Orville Garvey, Josh Hansard, Carlos Lagos, Adam Pierce, and Alberto Vidal.

For the older students, FKEC's Tim Caba, John Kornetti and T.J. Patterson hosted classroom activities. They provided a safety demonstration; a meter display that explained the difference in electrical consumption between light bulbs; and a discussion of the various career opportunities at FKEC. The students also had the chance to try on real hard hats and safety gloves. At the end of each session the students were given co-op goodies and booklets.