Electrical Safety Training Helps Stratham Firefighters Minimize Risks

Firefighters from the Stratham Volunteer Fire Department recently participated in critical electrical safety training provided by Unitil to strengthen emergency response capabilities and minimize risks to first responders.

Representatives from Unitil's electric operations team met with members of the department to offer specialized training focused on electrical hazards, situational awareness, and other potential public safety issues that could occur during emergency incidents.

Unitil, a provider of electricity and natural gas to customers in New England, offers the safety training to fire departments throughout its service territories in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire on an annual basis, with additional outreach throughout the year.

"These targeted electrical safety training sessions are one way to enhance the emergency response provided by local first responders and reinforce our partnerships with the public safety agencies with whom we often work side by side in an emergency situation," said Unitil External Affairs Manager Amanda Vicinanzo. "This is a great opportunity for our team to provide helpful information while also spending some time with the firefighters in a non-emergency setting."

The training was provided by Patrick Aquilina, manager of Electric Operations for Unitil's Seacoast region, and Thomas Murphy, Unitil's manager of Environmental Health and Safety. The session featured an overview of Unitil's electrical systems, critical infrastructure, and service territory. Topics covered include the dangers of downed wires during motor vehicle accidents and other emergencies, potential electrical hazards that can cause electrocution, the response during storm-related outages, and other electrical issues. The training also featured a "show and tell" for firefighters to better familiarize themselves with some small equipment they may encounter in the field.

Stratham Fire Chief Jeff Denton said safety is always the primary concern for firefighters and other first responders at an emergency scene.

"We have to be safe with everything we do so everybody comes home. Electrical hazards are dangerous and it's good to have a refresher for members who have been through it before and it's imperative for our new members," he said. "The biggest thing is I want to make sure people are safe and training at this level with professionals who do this every day is how we're going to get the best training. They know what they're doing and they can advise us on how to help them as well as how to stay safe in the process."