To celebrate IAMU’s platinum anniversary, the Association put together a history of the organization in the form of a 12-page magazine. If you would like copies of the magazine, just let us know by filling out the request form. You can find the form by clicking here.

Indianola’s broadband future is fiber optics, and the future begins in August with construction of a community-wide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on Friday, August 4, 2017 on the Indianola Municipal Utilities (IMU) FTTH project. The ceremony is scheduled for 11:00am at Sesquicentennial Park at the corner of US Highway 65/69 and East Salem Avenue. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Indianola City Council Chambers in the adjacent municipal building.  All IAMU members are invited to attend.

Participants in the ribbon cutting will include representatives of IMU and the City of Indianola as well as other community leaders. Several dignitaries are being invited to participate and will be announced as invitations are accepted.

IMU will soon begin construction on a fiber-to-the-home network connecting every home and business in Indianola with gigabit-capable internet, telephone service, and cable TV. The $12.3 million project is an extension of IMU’s previous work to provide fiber connections in a portion of the community that began in 2007.

Excel Utility Contractors from St. James, MO is the primary contractor for the outside plant construction, and will be working with subcontractors from central Iowa to help build the network. Construction is expected to be completed by late summer of 2018.

For more information, contact:
Curtis Dean, SmartSource Consulting
curtis@smartsourceconsulting.com
515-650-0251

In a recent article in the Washington Post it has been reported that the federal government has removed Kaspersky Lab from their approved vendor list. 

In the article they identify numerous local governments that may have this software protecting their systems and therefore may be vulnerable to compromise. The article states “those systems, while not necessarily protecting critical infrastructure, can be targeted by hackers because they provide access to troves of sensitive information.” 

If this software is used to protect critical systems such as electric, water or gas utility control systems that may be a concern in light of this change in federal government policy.

Read the Washington Post article here.

Did you know that about 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur in the United States each year or that construction work has the second highest fatality rate for lightning strikes? Lightning can strike as far as 25 miles away from its parent storm; so if you hear thunder, you are within striking distance! According to the National Weather Service, only about 10% of people struck by lightning are actually killed. The other 90% must live with discomfort and disability, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

The safest location during a thunderstorm is inside a building with plumbing and electrical wiring. If lightning strikes the building, the plumbing and wiring will conduct the electricity and eventually direct it into the ground. If no buildings are available, then an enclosed metal vehicle such as an automobile, van, or school bus would be a suitable alternative.

Watch for dark clouds and increased wind; or if you hear thunder, it’s time to seek shelter. Other safety measures include:

• Avoid leaning against cars, fences or gates, construction equipment or trees.  Avoid standing on scaffolding or metal ladders as each of these items may be energized if struck by lightning.
• Refrain from touching concrete surfaces. Lightning can travel through the metal wires or bars in concrete walls and flooring.
• If inside a vehicle, roll up the windows and avoid contact with any conducting paths leading to the outside of the vehicle (e.g. metal surfaces, ignition and portable electronic devices plugged in for charging).

OSHA requires that employers adequately train all workers on lightning safety. Training should be provided for each outdoor worksite, so that supervisors and workers know in advance where a worksite’s safe shelters are and the time it takes to reach them. Employers should train supervisors and workers to provide lightning safety warnings in sufficient time for everyone to reach a worksite’s safe shelters and take other appropriate precautions.

Mark your calendars for this year’s IAMU Natural Gas Operator Qualification Workshop taking place August 29 – 30, 2017 at the IAMU Office and Training Complex.  This year’s workshop will cover a multitude of topics and offer many qualification opportunities.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop provides public gas employees the chance to learn more about the gas industry, while also gaining proficiency in skills that can be used in servicing their hometown gas customers.  It is designed for employees who administer, supervise, and work in public natural gas systems.  New operators, or operators needing a refresher on skills, should plan to attend this workshop.

The annual exhibit show and dinner will also take place at IAMU, giving participants a chance to check out the latest offerings from product reps.

For more information and to register here.

IAMU will be hosting the 2017 Water Distribution Training and Water Leak Detection/Line Locating Workshops, September 6th & 7th, 2017.

0.6 CEUs will be available each day for Water Distribution.

For more information, and to register, click here.

Hope to see you there!

A new national campaign to increase awareness about firefighter cancer is calling on firefighters to sign a pledge of safety.

The campaign, Not in Our House (http://www.notinourhouse.com ) was created by LION, a leading provider of firefighter gear, with the cooperation of a number of fire protection organizations. It asks firefighters to make every effort to protect themselves, their teams, and their families from carcinogens on the job. The site provides resources, information, and an outlet to share personal firefighter cancer stories.

Notes Billy Goldfeder, deputy chief of an Ohio fire department, “Historically, dirty gear, and not using your protective self-contained breathing apparatus was a badge of honor. We didn’t know we were at risk, but wow, we definitely know now, as cancer is the number one killer of firefighters.”

According to LION, since 2002, more than 60 percent of career firefighters added to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial have died from cancer. Firefighters have a 9 percent higher risk of being diagnosed and a 14 percent higher risk of dying with cancer than the general U.S. population. And while fire-related calls have dropped, deaths from cancer have increased, LION says.

Culprits include synthetic building materials such as furniture and paint, which, when burned, can cause cancer.

The Not in Our House pledge reads, “I will make every effort to protect myself and my team by doing my part to take precautions that will minimize the risk of exposure to carcinogens that may lead to cancer. This pledge is to honor all those who have come before, as well as those who will come after me.”