Personnel from Ocala Electric Utility and Clay Electric Cooperative, which has customers in Marion County, brought home a number of awards from the 18th annual Florida Lineman Competition, hosted by the Florida Municipal Electric Association on March 9 and 10 in Kissimmee.
In the journeyman category, the OEU team of Matthew Brown, Jason Rampley and Alex Kinsley took second place. The Clay Electric team of Sonny Ware, Chase Higginbotham and Chris Beckham was 21st. Heat Conductive Material
The journeyman OEU team of Brown, Rampley and Kinsley also earned: Second in 4kV Bell Change Out; second in 4kV Pole Transfer; first in 15vK Switch Replacement; third in Mystery - 4kV Insulator & Standoff Bracket Change Out; and 11th in Hurtman Rescue.
The journeyman Clay Electric team of Ware, Higginbotham and Beckham also earned: 21st in 4kV Pole Transfer; 19th in 15vK Switch Replacement; and fourth in Mystery - 4kV Insulator & Standoff Bracket Change Out.
The journeyman Clay Electric team of Matt Hickey, David Poncher and Damian Stewart earned: 11th in 4kV Bell Change Out; ninth in 15kV Switch Replacement; and fourth in Hurtman Rescue.
In the apprentice category, overall placement rankings included:
+ OEU - Second, Tyler Homan; third, Matthew Lowery; sixth, Hank Pearson; 47th, Jess Knight III; and 48th, Benjamin Crum
+ Clay Electric - 17th, Lee Lambert; 27th Dwayne Law; 43rd, Colten Griffis; 54th, Aaron Griner; and 60th, Leon Ridaught.
Glass Cloth Adhesive Tape The apprentices listed above all also competed in and placed in the categories of: Double Dead-End Multiskirt Change Out; Hurtman Rescue, Jumper Replacement, Mystery Event - Crossarm Relocation, Phase Clip In and Written.