Meet the 2024 Lifesaving Awards recipients

Because of the nature of the work they do, electric cooperative employees receive extensive lifesaving training. They hope they never need these skills but are prepared to put their training to work. The Lifesaving Award given by Missouri Electric Cooperatives recognizes those employees who take action to save a life.

Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative 

What started as a normal day ended as one that two lineworkers at Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative will never forget. In March 2024, foreman Jason Green and journeyman lineman Jake Fain were headed back to work after eating lunch.  Jake was behind the wheel and  his movements became jerky, and he wasn’t responding to Jason’s questions. Realizing the urgency, Jason grabbed Jake’s arms and directed him to turn off at the next road.

Jason called 911 and asked  Jake to squeeze his fingers. He received a weak response from Jake’s left hand and no response from the right. Medics arrived and Jake was taken to the hospital to be treated for a stroke. Jake took some time off to fully recover and has returned to full-time duty.

Associated Electric Cooperative  

In May 2024, an employee at Thomas Hill Energy Center lost consciousness and fell backward, striking his head on the concrete floor. A coworker called the control room, and a medical alert was issued. The emergency response team arrived to administer CPR. After he was stable, two EMTs traveled with the employee until he was transferred to the county ambulance and then airlifted to Columbia.

Thanks to a team effort by multiple people from the Associated Electric Cooperative team — including Cindy Creech, Carl Perkins, Ryan Cupp, Clint Asbury, Chad Stapleton, Jerret Fisher, and Vic Levings — the employee who experienced the medical emergency has reached a full recovery.

Tri-County Electric Cooperative   

In January 2024, a few crews of lineworkers were assisting with extensive outages due to winter weather in Tri-County Electric Cooperative’s service territory. The crews went to dinner, and while a lineman was eating a piece of steak became lodged in his throat. The lineman indicated he could not breathe. One of the co-op’s linemen tried performing the Heimlich maneuver but was unsuccessful.

Mike Scheib, CEO of Tri-County Electric Cooperative, jumped in without hesitation. He promptly performed the Heimlich on the lineman and successfully dislodged the steak, which allowed the lineman to breathe again. If it weren’t for Mike’s quick thinking, the lineman’s life could have changed in an instant.

KAMO Power Electric Cooperative  

In June 2024, Cody Johnson, KAMO line superintendent, was playing a few holes of golf. On a break between rounds, Cody turned to see his friend Randy had fallen off the golf cart and was lying on the asphalt. He could tell Randy was having a heart attack.

Cody asked a bystander to call 911 and started chest compressions. Around compression number eight, Randy started breathing. By the time emergency workers arrived, he was conscious. Tests later indicated severe blockage, which Randy had treated with open-heart bypass surgery.