Safety in Schools
Seeing electric and natural gas hazards first-hand, in a controlled environment, helps students truly understand these dangers. Here, Martin Malcheski, a Wisconsin Public Service Gas Mechanic, conducts part of the natural gas safety presentation.
On many school days, our utility employees are in middle school classrooms. There, they give electric and natural gas safety demonstrations. These free 45-minute demonstrations occur at nearly a third of the middle schools served by Michigan Gas Utilities, Minnesota Energy Resources, Upper Peninsula Power Company and Wisconsin Public Service each year. And every year, interest in the programs grows.
- During "Natural Gas Safety & You," two gas service mechanics introduce students to the chemical composition of natural gas, the dangers of carbon monoxide, how to recognize a gas leak and actions to take in a natural gas emergency. On-site gas experiments by our presenters illustrate how sudden and explosive a natural gas problem can be.
- During Path-to-Ground Electric Safety, two line electricians explain the possible hazards of overhead and underground electric lines. They show how to recognize dangers and how to avoid becoming a path to ground for electricity. And because words alone may not convey the message, students witness the fate of a human model that comes in touch with electric current.
Based on pre-test and post-test scores, students' understanding of safety issues improves by about 30% on average as a result of watching these demonstrations.
But perhaps the best evidence of a successful program comes from the students' own mouths. According to George Johnson, Principal at Pine City High School in Pine City, Minnesota, "I heard students talking in the halls about the best science class ever."