Demonstration kicks off electrical safety month

PINEVILLE, La. – More than 4,500 students who attend 33 schools from Mansfield to Mandeville will witness Cleco’s Hot Spot safety program during Electrical Safety Month. The presentations begin Monday, May 2 and continue through Friday, May 13.

“While we recognize May as Electrical Safety Month, Hot Spot allows us to impact students and their families with safety messages they can use throughout the year,” said Robbyn Cooper, Hot Spot coordinator.
To help promote electrical safety month, Cleco uses its Hot Spot demonstration, which carries 7,620 volts to demonstrate the dangers of electricity resulting from real-life situations. Using props such as a ladder, kite and an electric simulator, employees create fire and sparking to show the dangers of unsafe practices around electricity.

“This is our eighth year to take Hot Spot to schools,” said Cooper. “This demonstration gives our employees an opportunity to interact with students and teach them about electrical safety. We sometimes see students in local stores after a Hot Spot performance, and we hear them tell their parents about Hot Spot when they see us. It’s a good feeling to know that students are remembering the safety lessons we attempt to teach.”

“We can not talk about electrical safety too much,” said Mike Joseph, Cleco’s risk manager. “Electricity is around us everyday. Our demonstration stresses the need to be aware of your surroundings and to remember that electricity lines are both overhead and underground. ”

Hot Spot Tour Stops

Monday, May 2
Three presentations for Rapides Parish Elementary Schools at Peabody Magnet High School:
9:30 a.m. – Hayden R. Lawrence Upper Elementary, Forest Hill Elementary, W.O. Hall Elementary Magnet School, Poland Junior High
11:30 a.m. – Glenmora Elementary, D.F. Huddle Elementary, J.B. Nachman Elementary, Plainview High School 
12:45 p.m. – Martin Park Elementary, Pineville Elementary, Rosenthal Montessori School

Tuesday, May 3
9 a.m. – Bayou Chicot Elementary School
1:30 p.m. – Avoyelles Public Charter School

Wednesday, May 4 
9:30 a.m. – St. Edmund Catholic School
2 p.m. – South Crowley Elementary School

Thursday, May 5
9 a.m. – Converse Elementary School
1 p.m. – Pleasant Hill Elementary School

Friday, May 6
9 a.m. – Kinder Elementary School
1 p.m. – Ville Platte Elementary School

Monday, May 9
Three presentations for DeSoto Parish Elementary Schools at Mansfield Elementary School:
9 a.m. – Logansport Elementary School, Pelican All Saints School, Stanley High School
10:30 a.m. – North DeSoto Elementary School
1:30 p.m. – Mansfield Elementary School

Tuesday, May 10
10 a.m. – Mandeville Elementary School
1:30 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. – Woodlake Elementary School

Wednesday, May 11
1:30 p.m. – Bonne Ecole Elementary School

Thursday, May 12
9 a.m. – V.B. Glencoe Charter School
1 p.m. – Chitimacha School

Friday, May 13
9 a.m. – Highland Baptist School
1:30 p.m. – Catholic High School