September 2022 | Volume 84 | Issue 9
PCEC Member Appreciation Events Scheduled For Excelsior Springs, Platte City in October
Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative will host Member Appreciation Events on Friday, October 7 in Platte City and Wednesday, October 12 in Excelsior Springs.
The events present unique opportunities for Platte-Clay consumer-members to meet their local electric cooperative’s staff and democratically elected Board of Directors.
Member Appreciation Events were introduced to the cooperative this year following changes in the format of the organization’s annual meeting.
Local events allow for the cooperative to connect with its consumer-members in the communities they live in and provide a way for the co-op to support community building efforts across the Northland region.
Being a community-led not-for-profit utility gives PCEC the flexibility to actively address the needs of its consumer-members and ensure affordable and reliable service can continue to be provided far into the future.
Staying in tune with the latest challenges and opportunities facing each community the co-op serves is a top priority for its Board of Directors.
Avoid Distractions While Driving
Dave Deihl, General Manager
From the General Manager
While driving, we often hear that “ding” on our phone, alerting us to a text or call coming through, and we sometimes feel the urgent need to check it. We know we shouldn’t, but we reason that we’re going to make an exception––just this once.
So, why do we indulge in behavior we know to be wrong, dangerous and in many states, illegal? According to AAA research, most people feel they are better-than-average drivers. Afterall, we have busy lives and are accustomed to multitasking. But mounds of research and thousands of deaths every year prove otherwise.
As a new school year begins with young drivers and school buses back on the road, I thought it would be a good time to remind folks, including myself, of the dangers of distracted driving.
The reality is that using a phone while driving creates enormous potential for injuries and fatalities. Distractions take a motorist’s attention off driving, which can make a driver miss critical events, objects and cues, potentially leading to a crash.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one of every 10 fatal crashes in the U.S. involves distracted driving, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths annually. I find this statistic heartbreaking because so many of these accidents could easily be avoided if we’d simply put down our phones while driving.
Distracted driving is considered any activity that diverts our attention, including texting or talking on the phone, and adjusting the navigation or entertainment system. Texting is by far one of the most dangerous distractions. Sending or reading one text takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
In addition to refraining from texting while driving, we can help keep the roads safe by moving over for first responders and other emergency vehicles. Additionally, if you see utility crews conducting work near the roadside, I’d encourage you to move over when possible and give them extra space to perform their work safely.
At Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, safety is foremost in everything we do––for our employees and the members of the communities we serve. We routinely remind our crews of the dangers of distracted driving, and we hope you’ll have similar conversations with your teens who may be new to the roadways and are especially susceptible to the lure of technology.
Let’s work together to keep everyone safe on the roads. Remember: that text can wait and waiting just might save a life.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns you can reach me at GeneralManager@PCEC.coop.
Safety Demonstrations Available For School And Community Groups
With school back in session, Platte- Clay’s safety demonstration team is in full swing. Presentations can be requested by school and community groups across the Northland and are provided free of charge.
Trained professionals facilitate the safety demonstration, which covers many real-world scenarios where you may encounter electrical hazards. It includes a live display where onlookers can see an electrical arc and hear the buzz of electricity flowing through the miniature set.
Demonstrations can be requested on www.PCEC.coop. Once a presentation is requested, Platte-Clay staff will reach out to schedule the demonstration and provide additional information.
Team PCEC Gives Back To Local Schools
Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative employees and volunteers gave back to local schools and students this year by volunteering time and resources to mark the start of the school year.
Platte-Clay’s Pathfinders community group volunteered at Platte County’s annual back to school resource fair, which provides school supplies to families in the district. Additionally, co-op employees donated school supplies to be distributed to area schools.
Supplies were delivered to the Smithville, Lathrop, Kearney and Excelsior Springs school districts.
The Northland Connection is published monthly by Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc., 1000 W. 92 Highway, Kearney, MO 64060. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Northland Connection, PO Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060 or mail@pcec.coop.
Platte-Clay is an equal opportunity employer.