FEBRUARY 2025 | IN THIS ISSUE
PLAY IT SAFE WITH SPACE HEATERS
LOCAL SCHOOLS EARN COOPERATIVE SPIRIT SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS
MAXIMIZE YOUR ENERGY SAVINGS WITH THESE PROJECTS
SAFETY FIRST IN EVERY STORM
When severe weather strikes, we understand how stressful it can be for you and your family. And we understand how much you value having your power restored quickly after a storm. At Jackson EMC, we’re committed to restoring power as quickly as possible, but our number one job is doing that work safely to protect our employees and the public. Safety isn’t just a protocol we follow; it’s part of every step we take before, during and after a storm. At the end of the day, our goal is to send every employee home just as happy and healthy as they arrived at work that day.
We all know that storm restoration work can be hazardous. Our crews can face hazardous conditions with downed power lines, tree limbs entangled with power lines, icy roads, and strong winds. These conditions require vigilance and careful coordination to keep our crews and others safe.
At Jackson EMC, we believe that every job can be done with a safety-first mindset. For our crews, following safety protocols is more than protecting themselves. It’s about protecting their fellow
teammates and ensuring the safety of our members. A single oversight during a storm restoration situation could put lives at risk, which is why safety is at the forefront of everything we do.
Long before a storm arrives, our teams prepare with safety in mind. All cooperative employees are required to participate in regular safety meetings. These trainings help them learn from real-life examples and identify ways they can work safely.
Vehicles are stocked with essential equipment to get the job done. Our fleet mechanics ensure our vehicles are reliable and ready to go. When a storm hits, we’re ready to respond effectively and safely.
After a storm hits, crews must carefully navigate riskier areas. Downed lines can be energized and pose significant hazards. Making contact with a downed line with a vehicle or person could kill you. Our crews are trained in handling energized equipment, wearing personal protective equipment and using insulated tools.
Our linemen are trained to work safely under challenging conditions. But you also play an important role in keeping them safe. If you see our crews working along roadways, please move over a lane when possible or slow down below the speed limit. Your cooperation ensures our crews can focus on getting the lights back on for everyone.
We thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation during storm recovery efforts. Your support allows us to prioritize safety for everyone. Have a story to share about the importance of being safe after a storm?
chip@jacksonemc.com
CHIP JAKINS President & CEO
Play it Safe with Space Heaters
Space heaters are designed to provide extra warmth, but are not meant to replace your home's heating system. If used incorrectly, a space heater could pose fire and burn risks. Protect your home and family by following these safety tips:
Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet, instead of an extension cord or power strip. Space heaters use a significant amount of electricity and most power strips are not designed to handle the higher wattage, which could cause a fire if overloaded.
Give space heaters space by keeping it a safe distance (at least three feet) from walls, curtains, furniture, bedding, pillows and other items that could easily burn.
Buy a unit with an automatic shutoff in case the space heater tips over. If tipped over, the unit will automatically turn off to prevent a potential fire.
Keep your space heater in a lowmoisture room. Don’t put a space heater in the bathroom. The moisture could damage the unit, which could cause it to malfunction.
Don’t leave your space heater unattended. Keep children and pets away from your space heater and always unplug it before leaving the house or going to bed.
Good Sports Local Schools Earn Cooperative Spirit Awards
Six local high schools recently won a Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award for outstanding sportsmanship during competitive events. The award is sponsored by Jackson EMC and 31 other participating electric cooperatives in partnership with Georgia EMC.
The Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award is given to one school per region in each Georgia High School Association (GHSA) classification. Awards are given to high school athletic programs in Jackson EMC’s service area that align with the cooperative values of respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility.
Jackson EMC is proud to support GHSA’s mission of recognizing extracurricular activities play a crucial role in supporting youth development.
Winners
Duluth High School
Johnson High School
Banks County High School
Apalachee High School
Central Gwinnett High School
Parkview High School
HIGHAPALACHEE SCHOOL
Co-op initiatives help educate, protect people
You may not think about safety when you flip a light switch, but it’s in everyone’s best interest to take safety seriously.
At Jackson EMC, our safety culture is critical to protecting our members, employees and the community. Through education, training, compliance and mentoring, the cooperative’s safety and training team helps empower co-op employees, first responders and the public to be responsible around electricity.
“Our safety program is about more than following protocols – it’s about empowering people with the knowledge to prevent accidents and make safe decisions,” said Stephen Poole, Jackson EMC’s director of safety and training.
Member Education
We want our members to know how to keep themselves and their families safe. This newsletter, JEMCO News, often features tips about being safe around electricity. Some of our recent stories included information on how to safely exit a vehicle if it hits a power pole and how to react if you see someone possibly drowning from an electric shock.
If you see downed lines, always assume it’s energized and dangerous. You can stay safe by staying away from any downed lines and reporting it to 911 or your power company.
You can also find safety tips on our social media channels, website and print materials sent to members.
Find more tips at jacksonemc.com/safety.
Empowering Employees
“Safety is everyone’s job,” Poole said. All Jackson EMC employees participate in mandatory monthly safety meetings and trainings addressing topics like CPR, first aid and fire safety.
“Our regular safety meetings and trainings are part of our safety-first mindset that help ensure employees prioritize safe practices in their daily work, whether they work around our electric lines and equipment or in an office,” Poole said.
An employee-led safety committee also plays a vital role in fostering a culture of safety. Through their collaborative efforts, the committee identifies opportunities for continuous improvement. For example, while helping with storm restoration efforts following Hurricane Idalia in South Georgia, crews noticed that changing the lights on some to a brighter option would make it easier for them to work in unfamiliar locations. Their feedback was valuable for keeping linemen safe, especially during storm response efforts. Our fleet team upgraded lights on our large bucket trucks to provide better visibility. This feedback loop and ongoing employee engagement shows Jackson EMC’s commitment to proactive safety measures.
First Responder Training
Jackson EMC has a long history of training firefighters and law enforcement officers on working safely around energized lines in emergencies. “The training we offer first responders helps educate them about electric safety and encourages them to share their knowledge with others,” Poole said.
Last year, we hosted more than 240 firefighters across our service area to learn about the different types of electric vehicles and emergency response procedures.
Safety First Before and After Storms
We’re always prepared for severe weather. When there’s a major storm in the forecast, including winter storms, our crews take extra steps to minimize any potential impacts to your electric service.
Preparation Before the Storm
Our crews load vehicles with the necessary equipment and supplies, while our mechanics inspect fleet vehicles to ensure everything runs smoothly under tough conditions. In addition, our customer service representatives are ready to respond to our members when needed.
Prioritizing Safety During Restoration
Restoring power after a storm comes with its own set of challenges. Downed lines, hazardous conditions and widespread outages require careful coordination. We mobilize our restoration crews to respond to outages as quickly as conditions and safety procedures allow.
Helping Keep Linemen Safe
You can also play a role in keeping our linemen safe. When you see utility vehicles on the side of the road, move over a lane if possible. If that’s not an option, slow down below the speed limit and be prepared to stop.
Jackson EMC crews work along a roadway restoring power after Winter Storm Cora in January. The storm brought snow and ice to the area, resulting in some brief outages.
$103,690 IN GRANTS RECENTLY AWARDED
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $103,690 in grants during a recent meeting, including $99,890 to organizations and $3,800 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
$15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center, Inc., Lawrenceville, which offers non-emergency primary care for residents in Barrow and Gwinnett counties who are low income or uninsured for its Direct Patient Care Program to provide medical test processing, specialist consultations, procedures and medications.
$15,000 to Hope Clinic, Inc., Lawrenceville, which provides medical care to uninsured, underinsured or with limited or no access to healthcare for people in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties for in-person or telehealth mental health services.
$15,000 to The Salvation Army, Lawrenceville, to provide rental or mortgage assistance for families in Gwinnett County facing homelessness or a disaster, and people with a disability.
$10,000 to Giving Health, Inc., which supports individuals and families in all counties served by Jackson EMC with affordable access to healthcare services for access to virtual medical and mental health services.
$10,000 to Home Repairs Ministries, Inc., Duluth, which provides critical home repairs and modifications for vulnerable homeowners, including low-income seniors, widows, veterans, single mothers and people with disabilities in Gwinnett County for its Critical Home Repairs Program.
$10,000 to (The) Cottage Sexual Assault Center and Children’s Advocacy Center, Inc., Athens, for therapy sessions for children and adult survivors of sexual abuse and assault in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
$6,000 to The Salvation Army, Athens, to provide emergency shelter and rental assistance for residents in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who are homeless or disabled or are disaster victims.
$6,000 to The Salvation Army, Gainesville, to provide emergency shelter and rental assistance for residents in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties who are homeless or disabled or are disaster victims.
$5,000 to the Lilburn Woman’s Club to promote literacy in the community in Gwinnett County.
$5,000 to The Salvation Army, Toccoa, to provide food, supplies, and emergency rental and mortgage assistance for residents in Franklin and Lumpkin counties.
$2,890 to Reins of Life, to provide hippotherapy/adaptive riding sessions for individuals with disabilities in Banks and Franklins counties.
Individual Recipient:
$3,800 to assist with plumbing repairs for a Hall County resident.
Community Impact
While searching for volunteer opportunities at her college, Jacqueline Daniel noticed a lack of support for children and adults with disabilities in the community.
Determined to change that, Jacqueline started ConnectAbility in 2001 to create inclusive communities where people of all abilities are valued, included and empowered. Today, ConnectAbility offers programs that connect and empower people with and without disabilities, creating meaningful opportunities for inclusion.
A recent $10,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation supported ConnectAbility’s Sidekicks Community Event program. Under the care of experienced staff and lead volunteers, Sidekicks provides nights of connection and joy for people of all abilities.
“Sidekicks has grown to a monthly group of more than 100 participants and volunteers,” shared Daniel, executive director. “This summer, thanks to the support of the Jackson EMC Foundation and other organizations, we were able to host multiple events serving over 800 people of all abilities.”
Shrimp Chowder
INGREDIENTS:
stalks celery, sliced onion, finely diced
Splash of olive oil
8 oz. package cream cheese, diced cup milk
10.5 oz cans cream of potato soup
DIRECTIONS:
tsp. salt
10.5 oz can whole kernel corn
pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
Ground black pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Crumbled bacon, optional
In a large stock pot, sauté celery, onions, garlic and seasonings in olive oil. Add potato soup, cream cheese and milk. Stir over low heat until cream cheese is completely melted. Add shrimp and corn, and cook at low to medium heat until shrimp turns pink. If soup is too thick, add a little more milk. Garnish with crumbled bacon, if desired.
"This one-pot soup is easy to whip up and lures my sons for dinner. I double the recipe when I know they’re coming over.”
Maximize Your Energy Savings with These Projects
ADD ATTIC INSULATION: Upgrade the insulation in your attic to reduce the energy needed for heating and cooling. With a home energy evaluation and using a participating contractor from Jackson EMC’s contractor network, you may qualify for a rebate.
Visit jacksonemc.com/rebates
Improving your home’s energy efficiency is one of the best ways to reduce your energy use and lower your electric bill. Prioritizing your projects based on your budget and goals ensures you get the most return on your investment. Consider these high-impact upgrades: FOR
UPGRADE YOUR HVAC: Replace an older unit with a highefficiency electric heat pump, which can reduce your heating bill by as much as 50%. Jackson EMC offers a rebate up to $400 with a qualified ENERGY STAR-certified electric heat pump replacement.
Visit jacksonemc.com/rebates
REPLACE YOUR WATER HEATER: Newer models are more energy efficient, which can help you save energy. Jackson EMC offers low-interest loans for members who qualify for home improvements, including replacing a water heater.
Visit jacksonemc.com/loans
YOUR POWER. YOUR COMMUNITY.
A PUBLICATION FOR JACKSON EMC MEMBERS
JACKSON EMC OFFICES
1000 Dawsonville Highway Gainesville, GA (770) 536-2415
85 Spratlin Mill Road Hull, GA (706) 548-5362
850 Commerce Road Jefferson, GA (706) 367-5281
825 Buford Dr Lawrenceville, GA (770) 963-6166
EMC SECURITY
55 Satellite Blvd., NW Suwanee, GA (770) 963-0305 or (706) 543-4009
@JacksonEMC
jacksonemc.com
Seal Drafts, Save Energy:
This DIY Weatherization Kit Can Help
Did you know that almost half of your energy bill goes to heating and cooling your home? With our new weatherization kit, you can say goodbye to costly air drafts and hello to comfort.
The Jackson EMC Marketplace offers a DIY weatherization kit that can help you get started saving energy throughout your home. You can seal up common places where you may be losing heated or cooled air in your home.
THE KIT INCLUDES:
Weather strips, rope caulk and gaskets to seal gaps around doors, windows and external outlets.
Door sweeps and corner doorjambs to stop drafts.
Pipe insulation to enhance your water heater’s efficiency.
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