Left to right: PCEC CEO/General Manager Dave Deihl, Foreman Jason Green, Journeyman Lineman Jake Fain, and Safety Director Jeff McCullough.
Branson, Mo. — Jason Green, a Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative Foreman, was honored with the Lifesaving Award by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) at its annual meeting Oct. 2 in Branson.
Because of the nature of the work they do, electric cooperative employees receive extensive life-saving training. They hope they never need these skills but are prepared to put their training to work whether it is helping an injured employee or a member of the public. The AMEC Lifesaving Award was created to recognize those employees who take action to save a life.
On the morning of March 28, 2024, Jason’s coworker Jake Fain, a journeyman lineman at Platte-Clay, had mentioned a severe headache, which was unusual for him. While the two were grabbing lunch at a fast-food restaurant, Jake’s condition suddenly worsened.
As they left the parking lot, with Jake driving, Jake’s right hand unexpectedly shot forward and struck the truck’s keys. Jason glanced over, asking why Jake was messing with the keys, but received no response.
Jake failed to respond to questions or even acknowledge Jason’s presence. As they continued down the road, Jake began to mumble incoherently. Realizing the urgency of the situation, Jason repeatedly told Jake they needed to stop. When Jake didn’t respond, Jason had to physically grab his arms and direct him to turn off at the next road. With Jason’s help, Jake managed to pull into a parking lot, where Jason immediately called 911.
While on the phone, Jake exited the truck, still confused and clutching his right arm as if it were in pain. Jason performed a quick test, having Jake squeeze his fingers — he received a weak response from Jake’s left hand and no response from the right. A police officer and ambulance arrived shortly after, and Jake was taken to the hospital. Thanks to Jason’s quick thinking and training, Jake received the necessary care to reverse the effects of the stroke he had suffered.
Throughout this entire experience, Jason demonstrated tremendous poise and control in the face of adversity, relying on his training to save his friend’s life and career. Jake was able to take some time off to fully recover. He has since been able to return to full-time duty.