ST. LOUIS – This year, the largest free electrical
installation of its kind is unfolding as The Electrical
Connection works to break its own record by wiring
25 homes for
Habitat
for Humanity St. Louis. The union
labor-management group is donating roughly $125,000
in materials and services to help Habitat for
Humanity complete its house building blitz for
the disadvantaged. In all, nearly 20 miles of
wiring will be installed. The homes are emerging
in the Mark Twain Neighborhood of North St. Louis.
“This is the fifth consecutive year we’ve partnered
with Habitat for Humanity St. Louis,” said Steve
Schoemehl, business manager for the
International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local
#1, which along with the
St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical
Contractors Association (NECA)
forms the Electrical Connection. “Habitat’s
commitment to using skilled union electrical
contractors to ensure the homes are wired safely
is most gratifying.” According to the U.S. Fire
Administration, faulty electrical wiring causes
33 percent of all residential electrical fires
in urban areas.
“We bring a culture of safety to every job
we perform,” said Douglas R. Martin,
executive vice president of the St. Louis Chapter,
NECA. “It’s a commitment reflected in our goal
to have every union electrician OSHA 30-hour
certified by the end of next year.”
The Electrical Connection
began wiring the homes in March. They are located
on several streets in the Mark Twain Neighborhood,
an area bordered by Kingshighway and West Florissant.
Three of the homes were dedicated in June; all
25 homes will be completed by fall.
Participating union electrical contractors
include: American
Electric & Data,
Branson
Electric Co., Dickherber
Electric, Inc., Grasser
Electric, J.
Bathe Electric, Lindsey
Electric Inc., M.R. Bathe Electric,
Northwest
Electric Co., Premier
Electric, Schaeffer Electric
Co. and Wentzel Electric.
The Electrical Connection has
also donated services to Rebuilding
Together to improve homes for low-income,
elderly persons in the area and for 10 years
has donated skills and material in support of
St. Louis City’s “National Night Out”
anti-crime program.
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Editor’s Note: The Electrical
Connection makes its offices at 5735 Elizabeth
in South St. Louis, Mo. (63110).
