Quinton Wellman operates an Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative truck with lineman Chris Peppers.

A powerful spray of water shot into the blue sky in a Baker City field, followed by cheers of excitement.

Sixth-graders from South Baker Intermediate School tried their hand at corralling a fire hose from the Baker City Fire Department on Friday, June 4.

The station was one of several that students went through during a career and safety day put on by Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative and the fire department at the Baker City Christian Church, near the school.

“We held an event in April in La Grande and it went off great and so we wanted to try to do another one here,” said Joe Hathaway, OTEC’s communications manager.

Hathaway said the cooperative tries to have similar events in each of its four counties — Baker, Union, Grant and Harney — each year.

The June 4 event in Baker City also helped bring a sense of normalcy to students after a challenging 15 months due to the pandemic.

Hathaway said the April event in La Grande was OTEC’s first in more than a year.

“We’re just delighted to do this and anything we can do to give back to the community, we’ll jump at the first opportunity,” Hathaway said.

The events are designed to teach students about being safe around electricity, and also show them the career opportunities available in the industry.

And, as with the fire hose demonstration, to have fun.

Students were divided into smaller groups to cycle through the stations, including operating the control panel on an OTEC line truck, and learning from Baker City Fire Department paramedics how to splint a broken bone.

OTEC lineman Chris Peppers showed students how to operate the truck’s control panel, and he let them explore the truck and its features, including a very loud horn.

Inside the church, metermen Mark Dyer and Myles Schwebke had a safety station where they showed students what happens if a kite is flown too close to power lines.

Schwebke had a small switch he would step on that sent electricity through the station table, showing the electric shocks.

They also demonstrated the dangers of a ladder bumping into power lines, an overturned car beneath active lines, and other scenarios.

Sixth-grade teacher Kristin Schwin said the students loved the event. Schwin said it was a great experience for the students to learn both about safety precautions, and the roles that emergency responders play.

“It’s things they’re not really exposed to very often, so it’s very nice for them to get a chance to be exposed and learn how this equipment all works,” Schwin said.

Around 30 South Baker students participated, and Schwin said they were grateful for the break from the classroom and to be able to be outside to learn.

“South Baker students were able to take away a great discussion of how these safety careers are such a great future choice for the students,” Schwin said. “Many loved seeing what it would be like to work as a lineman, a fireman, or an EMT. The students loved the public service element and how many of these workers are out there saving lives and rescuing others on a daily basis, often at great risk to themselves. Very eye-opening.”

“South Baker students were able to take away a great discussion of how these safety careers are such a great future choice for the students.”

— Kristin Schwin,  sixth-grade teacher, South Baker Intermediate