South Lakes High School temporarily lost power during an advisory period around a month ago. When a worker was helping to install the sewer line for the restrooms by the football field, he accidentally hit a power line near it. This caused the lights inside to go out and the air conditioning to turn off. The worker did not have to go to the hospital and is now okay.
We interviewed Andrew Duggan, our Athletics Director, to ask exactly what happened. He pointed out that one must dig past the electrical lines to get to the sewer line. “The sanitary line is below the power lines and it was an accident,” Duggan said. “They were working carefully, but it was an accident that did occur.”
Duggan’s first reaction was, reasonably, “Oh no.” His second thought was worry for the worker. “One of the country reps for the project came in and spoke to me about it. When I found out what it was I was really concerned. ‘Was he okay?,” Duggan remarked.
After being examined, the worker went home. “He was okay,” Duggan said. “He was checked out by the EMTs and the fire department and he did not go anywhere. He went home for the rest of the day,” Duggan said.
When the school lost power, according to Duggan, administrators asked the county if they could end school early and send students home, but they resisted and said to continue school. “Mr. Seward was in contact with his bosses, and he was instructed to just wait,” Duggan said.
The school was simply told to move on with the school day and hope that power was restored soon. “And [Mr. Seward] was told to continue to operate within the school as normal and as best we could during that time,” Duggan said. “I’m glad the restroom project is complete and everyone is safe now.”
When the power was gone, the lights were off and the air conditioning didn’t function. Teachers opened windows, and to the best of their ability, taught their classes. But, it is uncomfortable and difficult to teach a class in the dark without AC. We rely on these things to make school work, and when they don’t, we can’t do anything. As a school and as the world, we depend heavily on electricity, and events like this show us just how much we do.
