State and local officials gathered in Pringle Borough for the groundbreaking of a new 15,000 square foot training facility for electrical linemen with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1319. Senator Lisa Baker and Representatives Jonathan Fritz and Brenda Pugh presented a $1.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Grant as part of the $9.75 million project.
“The electrical linemen from IBEW 1319 perform a critical and difficult service to keep and maintain the electrical grids that provide utility service across our region,” the legislators stated. They emphasized the center’s role in allowing year-round training with simulations of various weather conditions.
The facility will feature indoor space for climbing, bucket work, and grid training, a mezzanine with a catwalk for observation, and classrooms for splice training and hands-on activities. It will accommodate training for 30 to 60 apprentices annually and ongoing education for 80 active members.
“Today is an historic day for IBEW Local 1319 and its membership,” stated Robert J. Reilly, Business Manager and Financial Secretary of IBEW Local 1319. Reilly highlighted the center’s importance in developing skilled journeymen linemen.
The IBEW’s Occupational Safety Health and Education (OSHE) Trust Fund was formed in 1990, focusing on safety and training for linemen. The new training center aims to improve existing facilities built in 2016, enhancing training and safety standards for linemen working in IBEW Local 1319’s jurisdiction across 32 Pennsylvania counties.
Contacts:
Jennifer Wilson for Sen. Baker
Melissa Fox for Reps. Fritz and Pugh
