Akins presents Clinch River employees with Chairman’s Life Saving Award

Travis Woods (left) and Greg Cook (holding the crystal award) are shown with Nick Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer. Akins made a surprise visit to the Clinch River Plant to present the pair with one of the corporation’s highest safety awards for employees. Photos by John Shepelwich.

Nick Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer, made a surprise visit to Appalachian Power’s Clinch River Plant recently to present one of the corporation’s highest awards for employees. Akins delivered The Chairman’s Life Saving Award to the plant’s first responders and fire brigade members for their actions in April to a one-vehicle accident just outside the plant entrance.

Much of the employees’ response was captured in a video recording from a plant security camera.

“I was able to watch the video of the rescue operation,” Akins told the employees assembled for an unannounced luncheon at the plant. “It was amazing to see the immediate response from our employees and it showed me how the safety mentality we develop on the job often goes beyond the workplace to save lives for family, friends and the public.”

Akins specifically recognized plant employees Travis Woods and Greg Cook for their quick action April 28 when an area resident lost control of her pickup truck and crashed on State Rt. 665. Plant employees and contractors saw the accident and came to the aid of the woman in the overturned vehicle within minutes.

As medical first responders and fire brigade arrived, they found the woman, who had not been wearing a seat belt, trapped in the vehicle and having difficulty breathing. Appalachian’s Woods coordinated plant equipment to safely extricate the driver while Cook crawled into the truck cab to support her during the process. The Cleveland, Va., Lifesaving Crew soon arrived to work with the plant responders to stabilize the patient to prepare her for transport.

She was flown to a regional emergency medical facility by a helicopter air ambulance that landed at the plant’s helicopter pad. The woman is making a full recovery and her family contacted the plant employees to express their appreciation.