New TECO trailer will be used for community demonstrations on dangers of live power lines

Preparing for hurricane season

Ariel Plasencia reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Electric (TECO) crews said they’ve witnessed plenty of dangerous situations involving downed power lines, especially after last year’s busy hurricane season.

"In South Tampa, it floods all the time, even with a normal summer storm," TECO lineman Donnie Newman said. "When Helene comes through, there was pad-mounted transformers that were underwater that were energized."

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That's why TECO purchased a new trailer, so linemen can use it for demonstrations to show community members and first responders the dangers of live power lines.

"We can talk about it all day long, but when we visually put it in front of you, it brings more awareness and understanding to it," Newman, who led the safety demonstration Wednesday, added.

The trailer allows linemen to use various props, including ladders, to show what happens when people or objects come into contact with primary voltage. During the demonstrations, TECO crews use objects to touch powerlines mounted on the trailer, which results in blue or green flames and loud buzzing noises.

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"If you're on the ladder or holding the ladder on the ground, that's going to be the result right there," Newman said. "It’d probably be a serious injury or fatality."

For more information on power line safety from TECO, click here.

"All wires should be considered dangerous," Newman said.

What's next:

TECO officials said eventually, the plan is to take this new trailer around the Bay Area and do demonstrations in the community and for first responders.

The Source: FOX 13’s Ariel Plasencia gathered this information at a TECO demonstration event in Tampa on Wednesday.

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