Safety and loss prevention professionals, CEOs and employees from electric cooperatives and public power districts will gather in Arlington, Texas, April 22-24 for NRECA’s Safety Leadership Summit to network and learn about best practices in safety improvements and strengthening workplace safety culture.

Discounted rates end March 31 for the Loews Arlington Hotel and the overflow hotel, Live! By Loews Arlington Texas, and organizers are expecting a record turnout for the co-op network’s premier safety event.

The theme of this year’s summit is “Leading the Ascent,” and “participants can come, be with peers, and hear professionals in the field challenge and encourage safe personal actions,” said NRECA Safety Director Ken Macken.

Everyone can be a co-op safety leader, Macken said, “and our goal is that participants will get practical ideas that they can implement at their cooperatives to better their safety culture. We hope participants will learn the importance of being ‘all in' with safety in every aspect of their leadership at the cooperative.”

This year’s programming will include breakouts on wildfire mitigation, broadband safety, the importance of safety committees and bridging the generational gap between younger apprentices and seasoned lineworkers.

New this year is a virtual reality training room where participants can engage in VR simulations. The room will be open during the entire conference.

Speaker Highlights

This year there will be three general session speakers. The opening keynote speaker on April 23 is decorated fighter pilot Waldo Waldman, who is the best-selling author of “Never Fly Solo.” He will discuss how reaching one’s highest potential requires wingmen—trusted partners to help when adversity strikes.

ESPN reporter Marty Smith will be the April 23 lunchtime speaker. He’ll discuss his interviews with high-profile athletes and the parallels between the world of sports and the electric utility industry. Afterward, Corey Parr, vice president of safety and loss prevention for conference co-sponsor Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, will moderate a Q&A with Smith.

The closing general speaker on April 24 is Damon West, best-selling author of two books, including an autobiography titled “The Change Agent: How a Former College QB Sentenced to Life in Prison Transformed His World.” A co-founder of an at-risk youth organization, West will discuss his transformation and how resilience, positive thoughts and a commitment to personal growth can change environments.

Other Conference Details

The conference includes 26 breakout sessions and 30 Safety Improvement Talks—half-hour sessions featuring seasoned safety professionals from co-ops and PPDs across the country.

Preconference workshops on April 22 include sessions on developing tools and practices for a workplace that’s “always safe” instead of “usually safe,” exploring leadership styles and effects on retention, and preventing serious injuries and fatalities by building capacity to “fail safely” using direct controls for high-energy exposures.

Organizers are also providing an app support center on April 22 to help users navigate the S.A.F.E. and RESAP Apps, as well as the conference app.