APRIL 2021

The Outlet

SANGRE DE CRISTO ELECTRIC

ASSOCIATION, INC.

MAILING ADDRESSP.O. Box 2013

Buena Vista, CO 81211-2013

STREET ADDRESS29780 North U.S. Highway 24

Buena Vista, CO 81211

ph 719-395-2412 tf 844-395-2412 email info@myelectric.coop web www.myelectric.coop

Facebook.com/SDCEA.IncTwitter: @SDCEA_Inc

B eginning in April, SDCEA will be the first cooperative in the nation to work with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to conduct an inventory of the 850 miles of overhead power service on SDCEA’s system utilizing drones. Information

from the inventory will be used to help mitigate the risk of wildfire on our system and provide SDCEA a detailed inventory of equipment in the field.

Conducted by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the survey will use lidar (light detection and ranging) infrared technology and drone equipment to gain information about SDCEA’s system. Lidar technology is a remote light-sensing measure which will produce data to generate precise, three-dimensional information about SDCEA’s overhead lines. The infrared technology will allow SDCEA to proactively find equipment on the system that may need to be replaced prior to failure.

Information from the survey will include images of vegetation in or around SDCEA lines, as well as the moisture content in the area of that vegetation, along with satellite imagery to find areas of immediate concern for wildfire mitigation. SDCEA will then focus on immediately cutting back those areas where vegetation poses the greatest threat of ignition.

“The number-one priority for us is to use this information to send crews to immedi-ately mitigate wildfire risks from trees or brush in or very near power lines,” SDCEA Chief Operations Officer Bryon Stilley said. SDCEA will use information from the drone process to then develop long-term wildfire mitigation plans.

Data from the drone project will also give SDCEA a comprehensive look into the condi-tion of SDCEA’s poles and infrastructure. That information will be used to plan future construction projects and will document items such as broken or loose hardware, pole attachments, security lights and streetlights fed by power from overhead lines.

For those who may be concerned about their privacy during the droning operation, “Our concern is our electric system’s reliability. This project will generate close-up imagery from 5-10 feet above our equipment and around our lines and structures. We will not be collecting imagery of anything else,” Stilley said.

NRECA represents more than 900 member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives, public power districts and public utility districts across America. SDCEA is a member of NRECA and NRECA is familiar with the distinct aspects of SDCEA’s electric cooperative model. Costs for the drone survey are reduced to SDCEA by employing NRECA’s expertise.

The project, which will be conducted throughout SDCEA’s service territory in Chaffee, Fremont, Custer and Lake counties, and a small corner of Saguache County, is expected to take place over the next three to four months.

SDCEA Partnering with National Organization on System Survey

Do you have leadership qualities and want to make a difference? Consider running for a seat on the SDCEA Board of Directors. If you think this might be a good fit and opportunity for you, contact CEO Paul Erickson at 719-395-2412 or toll free at 844-395-2412 for more information. We look forward to hearing from you. Deadline to submit a director nomination petition is before 5 p.m. Friday, April 23, 2021.

Are YOU interested in how your electric cooperative is governed?

ANNUAL MEETING NOTICESDCEA’s annual meeting will be

held on June 9, 2021, at Mt. Princeton

Hot Springs Resort, Nathrop.Details to follow.

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A crew from SDCEA’s vegetation management contractor Integrity Tree Service will continue to work in April from Mount Princeton Hot Springs west to St. Elmo.

Work clearing vegetation along the Tommy Young line continues in April. The Tommy Young line is 19 miles long and runs from Ver-demont Road in Custer County north along CO 69, then to U.S. 50 via the Cotopaxi cutoff.

All electric services from the Howard substation are scheduled for vegetation management. It is possible the crew will move from the Tommy Young line to other areas served by the Howard substation as time and weather permits.

If you have questions about the program, please visit our Wildfire Mitigation and Vegetation Man-agement page on our website, myelectric.coop>Safety>Wildfire Mitigation.

VEGETATIONMANAGEMENT MONTHLY UPDATE

HAVE A QUESTIONabout something to do with SDCEA?

Give our office a call at 719-395-2412 or toll-free 844-395-2412 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on major holidays. Or, send an email with your question to info@myelectric.coop.

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WILDFIRE MITIGATIONTOMMY YOUNG LINEAND HOWARD SUBSTATION

WILDFIRE MITIGATIONST. ELMO

SDCEA lines along Rodeo Road, south of Buena Vista.

2021 Youth Tour Canceled

A fter much deliberation, CREA made the difficult decision to cancel the annual Washington D.C. Youth Tour in 2021. The tour generally takes place in June. The safety of the students,

chaperones and counselors was top of mind in making this decision. Also, because there is still much uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers found it difficult to lock in concrete plans. CREA is working on offering a webinar in July for participants who were selected for the trip.

K ites and model airplanes should be flown only during good weather conditions in large open areas, like an open park or a wide field. Keep kites away from overhead power lines or

other electrical equipment, such as substations. If a kite gets stuck in a tree near power lines, do not climb up to get it. Electricity can travel down kite strings or wires. Contact your electric utility for assistance.For more information about power line safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.

TAKE FLIGHT—SAFELY

Built by our community. Shaped by our community. Led by our community.

WE’RE PROUD TO POWER YOUR LIFE.

MATCHING GRANTSIf you are a member (named account holder) of SDCEA, when you support charitable, civic and educational organizations through financial contributions, SDCEA will match up to $200 of your donation to qualifying organizations, based on the criteria outlined on our website, myelectric.coop/community/matching-grant-program.

Donations must be made in the calendar year in which you are submitting the request (2021) to be considered for the matching grant program. Funds for the matching grant program are available until expended on a first-come, first-served basis.

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NEW PHONE/EMAILIf you’ve changed your phone number or email address since you’ve taken service with SDCEA, please update your information with us.

Go to our website, myelectric.coop to the login box to create an account with updated information, or update information if you already have an account.

You may also call us 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 719-395-2412 or toll-free 844-395-2412.

REBATESSDCEA and its power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., teamed up to bring you rebates for installing Energy Star-rated water heaters and Energy Star-rated appliances.

Want to learn more? Go to our website, myelectric.coop, click on Save Energy & Money and head to the rebates tab.

OUTAGESDo you have an outage to report? Don’t hesitate to call 719-395-2412 or toll-free 844-395-2412.

DO NOT email your outage information or post your outage information on social media. SDCEA cannot monitor that information effectively, especially after hours. The only way to be sure we know you have an outage is to phone it in.

SDCEA INFO SDCEA posts board meeting information, annual reports, board contacts and more for consumers to access at any time. To view these items, create an account on our website at myelectric.coop. Sign in and find this information under our ‘Members Only’ section, found on the left side of the landing page.

If you want to see rates and policies, that information can be found on the landing page for your account (SmartHub). Go to the My Profile menu item on the top and select Documents from the drop-down menu.

Prepare and Make a PlanBY DERRILL HOLLY

F amilies always need to be prepared for emergencies, and ongoing concerns triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted several new recommendations for evac-uation planning, emergency supply kits and community shelter operations.

“We did a lot of work in 2020 to update our guidance for hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters to include COVID-19 guidance,” said Captain Renee Funk, DVM, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the U.S. Public Health Service veterinarian, many of the precautions and revisions implemented as part of the pandemic response are expected to be among the CDC’s recommendations in place for 2021. Some are likely to remain in place permanently.

Funk, who serves as the CDC’s associate director of emergency management, said personal protective gear, hygiene items and cleaning products are among the most prom-inent additions to every family’s emergency supply preparation lists.

“We recommended a hand sanitizer that’s at least 60% alcohol, disinfectant wipes and two masks for each person,” Funk said. “Those things should be considered permanently added to your ‘go kit,’ and you need to regularly check for expiration dates for these products.”

Funk recommends that those items be included in both personal go kits and in the family’s cache of emergency supplies. She also suggests that, when you review the expira-tion dates of perishables, like canned goods, other foods and medications, you also replace any cleaning items or protective gear that might also be out of date.

The CDC is stressing the importance of early preparation. Checking and updating supplies before they are needed can prevent the need for shopping trips during the run-up to threatening storms or other emergencies. If shopping excursions are needed, officials recommend that a limited number of people (one or two people) considered low risk be designated to make all necessary shopping runs.

Fresh approaches to community shelters implemented and refined in 2020 are also expected to remain in place indefinitely. Instead of large, centralized shelters in schools or other community buildings, the CDC, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and their state and community partners have turned to dispersed sheltering, which is more conducive to social distancing.

“That means putting more people into hotel rooms, instead of into group or congregate shelters,” Funk said. “It costs a lot more money for FEMA to pay for all those hotel rooms, but the American Red Cross generally coordinates sheltering, and they shifted really well.”

Last year, Red Cross developed and deployed smartphone apps that helped keep track of shelter evacuees, allowing them to advise shelter coordinators about health concerns, shelter conditions and other issues.

Remember, in the event of any emergency or natural disaster, you’ll want to be prepared to shelter in place for several days if necessary. FEMA recommends having an emergency kit stocked with all important supplies in one or two containers that are easy to access. Visit ready.gov/kit for a full checklist of disaster kit items and additional recommendations.

While we certainly hope disaster doesn’t strike, it’s never a bad idea to be prepared. Spring and summer often bring severe storms, so now is the time to make a kit, make a plan and stay informed. That’s the best way to care for yourself and your family.

Derrill Holly writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

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