The team that wired two villages in Guatemala for electricity this past September was led by Dale Kishbaugh, director of safety and loss control at the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Each of the team members applied for a position on the team last winter. The applications were reviewed and interviews were conducted in April.
Once the team was announced, the individuals began preparing for the trip of a lifetime. There were shots to get, papers to fill out and a joint team preparation trip in Oklahoma City in June. There the Oklahoma and Colorado members of the team got to know each other. They also refreshed some skills they needed working in Guatemala where there would be no bucket trucks and very few tools. The team got pointers on using ropes and pulleys to lift transformers and some idea of what kind of working conditions they would face in a remote Central American village.
The group then left September 16 for Guatemala and returned October 4. Team members included:
Dale Kishbaugh
Dale Kishbaugh
CREA, Denver
Director of Safety and Loss Control
Christian Baker
Christian Baker
Holy Cross Energy, Glenwood Springs
Journeyman Lineman
Kris Barbee
Kris Barbee
Southeast Colorado Power Association, La Junta
Line Superintendent
Ben Ludington
Ben Ludington
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association, Fort Collins
Safety Director
Kelly Snow
Kelly Snow
United Power, Brighton
Working Foreman
Chet Stickler
Chet Stickler
Holy Cross Energy, Glenwood Springs
Crew Foreman
Nate Towne
Nate Towne
Mountain Parks Electric, Granby
Lead Lineman
Photos by Daniel Afcha