Duke Energy demonstrates what happens when objects come in contact with power lines

How dangerous can a tiny pinhole possibly be when you're wearing a huge rubber glove that’s supposed to protect you from handling as much as 19,900 volts of electric energy?

That was one of the questions for local emergency responders attending an hour-long demonstration on power-line safety presented by Duke Energy at its Bloomington headquarters. Bloomington Fire Department members were among attendees.

Kevin Timberman, longtime director of Duke’s customer delivery operations in the Bloomington-Bedford area, led the session, and emphasized the importance of keeping safety gear like gloves in perfect condition.

For example, even a pinhole can let water pass through a glove to the wearer, transmitting deadly electric power at an accident site — like a car running into a power pole and knocking wires to the ground.

To test his fire-fighting “students,” Timberman handed them a glove like the kind Duke linemen wear and asked them to find the pinhole. It took some minutes to discover.

Timberman’s other advice to emergency responders about safety: “Don’t work poles,” keep your distance, steer clear of balloons and antennas caught in power lines.