Recognizing PECO Energy's Worker Safety Program that averted a tragedy on February 27, 2008 when two linemen were rescued atop a 130 foot pole tower.

WHEREAS, PECO linemen Christopher Russell and David Acree were doing maintenance on a transmission line near Chester Pike and Oak Lane in Folcroft when the bucket of their high-lift truck malfunctioned about 9:45 a.m on Wednesday, February 27, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Recalling the safety procedures and preventive measures applied by PECO Energy to their employees through training and classes, Russell and Brown followed proper safety procedure and quickly harnessed themselves to a tower pole 130 feet above the ground and radioed for help; and

WHEREAS, A helicopter was dispatched from the United States Coast Guard stationed in Atlantic City, N.J. knowing that was the quickest and safest rescue method for the two stranded workers; and

WHEREAS, For over two hours, Russell and Acree clung tightly to an arm of the transmission tower, and balanced themselves on a very thin power line, and

WHEREAS, A United States Coast Guard crewman suspended on a rescue line cord was lowered to the tower arm, fierce and high winds blew him side to side in the air before grabbing Russell for rescue. Ten minutes later, Coast Guard crewman wrapped his legs around Acree’s torso, and they were reeled in; and

WHEREAS, The PECO employees were taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, Pa. Both had symptoms of hypothermia but no other injuries and were released later that day; and

WHEREAS, A tragedy and fatality was averted due to PECO’s vigilance in their worker safety program as they strive to make all workers educated and experienced in work related accident scenarios where precaution and prevention trump everything else and PECO is to be commended for their program and their stance on worker safety, and

WHEREAS, In the past years, PECO’s worker safety programs and performance have been recognized by the Energy Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry giving PECO a “Best in Class” Performance rating; and

WHEREAS

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Throughout the year, PECO safety professionals reach out to contractors, school groups and municipal emergency personnel with safety education programs to share important safety cautions, especially around electric and natural gas facilities; now

THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, Wholeheartedly thanks the members of the United States Coast Guard based out of Atlantic City, New Jersey for their daring and courageous rescue that day and also commends PECO Energy for their worker safety programs and procedures they instill in their employees and for that, today we are here to celebrate the rest of the lives of Acree and Russell, instead of their memories.

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