By Norm Park
[email protected]
Chris Bellegarde has only been on SaskPower's payroll for about four years, but he's already made his mark as one of their best power line technicians. Proof of that is found in the first-place trophy he brought back from a recent competition in Calgary.
Bellegarde took the first-place honours in the apprentice lineman category after qualifying as one of the two top lineman apprentices in SaskPower's qualifying competition earlier this summer.
The July 12 skills competition in Calgary hosted by Enmax Power Corp., challenged competitors with job-based tasks which were timed for speed as well as quality of work. The physical tests were preceded by a written test earlier in the day.
Based out of Estevan, Bellegarde was working on SaskPower's line crews just outside Manor when he took some time during a luncheon break to speak with The Mercury.
He explained the first physical test was a power pole climb test where speed and safety were the vital factors. Carrying a bag of traditional line repair materials in his mouth and replacing them with other power materials and returning to the base of the pole in rapid fashion was part of the test.
The second round sent the junior linemen into a fuse changing competition where the long stick had to be used to pick a fuse from a barrel and change it out and doing a power line "knot tying" correctly. Apprentices are required to learn at least eight basic knots that are used in the trade.
A dead end epoxilator change was next on the challenge list, a grueling test from the ground up, he said. That challenge could take some competitors as much as 20 minutes to complete.
The fourth test of skill and speed was the man rescue involving a 180 lb. dummy placed on a high wire that had to be brought down safely and swiftly.
Naturally, Bellegarde said with a laugh, the exercises were done on simulated lines, "there were no live wires."
This was the third time Bellegarde had participated in the SaskPower competition, but the first time he qualified for the Western Canadian tournament.
There were about 18 competitors in the apprenticeship category and about 12 teams in the overall competition that involved journeymen. A few Alberta power transmission companies along with SaskPower and Manitoba Hydro personnel were involved in the Calgary event.
"It's just something I felt I could do and I enjoyed the competition," said Bellegarde. "I competed as an individual butd I have to credit my training, in the field with colleagues and SaskPower's apprenticeship training program for any success I've had."
IBEW president Neil Collins stated added that seven powerline technicians within two teams represented Saskatchewan and SaskPower at the rodeo.
In the apprenticeship competition, "Chris was the only apprentice out of 18 competitors who finished all events without any deductions or dererits."
The other six Saskatchewan representatives in the team events included Derrick Pocha, David Breeze, Mike Rogers, Duane Horvath, Jon Letourneau and Joe Baker.
