SWEPCO employees recognized for heroic actions

Archie Smith (left) and Henry L. Brown (right) receive a Good Samaritan Award from SWEPCO Customer Services and Marketing Director Brett Mattison.

(Story by Kacee Kirschvink)

Three Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) employees were recognized recently for responding to fires in the Shreveport, La., area.

On Feb. 12, meter electricians Henry L. Brown and Archie Smith were en route to a job when they noticed smoke coming from the Cedar Creek Apartments. A group of women were standing outside, and smoke was coming out of an apartment.

The stove was on fire, so the employees quickly retrieved a fire extinguisher from the truck. Brown ran into the apartment and was able to put out the stove fire, but the fire had already spread up the wall into the ceiling. At about that time, the fire department arrived on scene and took over.

For their heroic actions, Brown and Smith each received a Good Samaritan Award.

While presenting the awards, Customer Services and Marketing Director Brett Mattison said the people who work for SWEPCO make the company what it is. He praised the two employees for doing a great job and representing the company well.

“Just imagine the panic in the folks who were seeing that (fire). What they did in their mind is real simple, but if you stop and think about it, they were the calm in the storm, so to speak,” Mattison said. “These two gentlemen stepped up. That’s an awesome job.”

Norcross in right place at right time 

SWEPCO meter reader Richard Norcross was given a Good Samaritan Award for saving a man from a house fire and helping the homeowner put out the fire.

Richard Norcross

On Jan. 21, Norcross, who works in Shreveport, had just pulled up to the customer’s house to read the meter. When he got out of his truck, he smelled smoke. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the roof was on fire near the chimney.

Norcross knocked on the customer’s door, alerted him that his house was on fire and retrieved a fire extinguisher from his truck. He then joined the customer, who had grabbed a water hose, and helped put out the fire.

“Together they put the fire out and stopped the man’s house from burning down,” said Mattison. “Richard will tell you it was no big deal, that anybody would have done that. But I don’t think so. Also, he’s flying the company colors, so just think what that does to customers and what they think about us.”