Journeymen representing SSVEC, including Efren Gallego, Jacob Shull, and Jesus Hernandez, placed seventh among Rural Electric Association (REA) teams, recording clean scores across every event with no point deductions.
"This is our first year competing in the journeyman division, and the results and performance of our journeymen and apprentices make us proud and speak to their level of professionalism," said Jason Bowling, Chief Executive Officer at SSVEC.
Apprentices Sawyer McDonald, Marcus Olivares, Coby Hall, and Austin Barney also stepped up big in the competition, delivering disciplined, safety-first performances across the events and representing SSVEC with pride.
"That's really where it starts," said Nathan Hodges, Senior Vice President of Operations at SSVEC. "Thanks to the experience and skills of our journeymen, SSVEC has developed a strong culture of safety and proficiency that gets passed on to our apprentices."
The Lineman’s Rodeo attracts the best linemen and apprentices from around the world to compete in events based on traditional lineman tasks. After more than 40 years, the International Lineman’s Rodeo & Expo still proves to be the industry’s most valued premier event of its kind for the electric utility industry.
Photo to the left: SSVEC Journeyman Lineman Efren Gallego readies for his turn climbing a utility pole at the annual International Lineman's Rodeo competition. Courtesy of CEO, Jason Bowling
NAtional Night Out
SSVEC was on hand Tuesday, October 7, for the annual National Night Out event at Veterans’ Memorial Park in Sierra Vista.
The Cooperative proudly displayed its Safety Demonstration Trailer, with live presentations of how to stay safe in situations that involve electricity. The night is sponsored by the Sierra Vista Police Department.
Featuring free fun, National Night Out featured an impressive array of public safety organizations, with on-scene equipment demonstrations, games, and free take home items, promoting each agency and the vital services they provide.
Training for the unexpected:
SSVEC’s Emergency Response Drill
SSVEC’s Emergency Response Drill
SSVEC’s Emergency Response Drill
For linemen in the electric service industry, danger is a constant companion. Whether repairing energized lines 30 feet in the air or restoring power after storms and wildfires, these professionals face risks most people never encounter.
That reality was at the center of three Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) “Mayday Drills,” conducted in
SSVEC’s Emergency Response Drill
SSVEC’s Emergency Response Drill
Willcox, Benson, and Sierra Vista. Each involved SSVEC personnel, who coordinated with local first responder agencies.
“Training like this ensures everyone knows who to call, when to call, and what to expect,” said Matt Riesgo, SSVEC Safety Manager.
Lineman training emphasized CPR and first aid, while responders practiced rapid coordination with the SEACOM emergency dispatch center, a first-responder helicopter service, and local fire, police and rescue organizations.
“Working together with first responders builds confidence and ensures the best possible outcome when real
emergencies happen,” said Steve Garate, SSVEC Training and Development Manager.
Through realistic drills, SSVEC continues to strengthen safety awareness, teamwork, and readiness—ensuring crews are prepared for the unexpected.
SSVEC sends two teams to Light Up Navajo
Making the Navajo Nation a bit brighter
Ten employees representing the Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) traveled to the Navajo Nation in July, joining in a national effort to extend electric service to those without power.
Participation in the "Light Up Navajo" program, now in its sixth year, began July 5 and involved a convoy trip of five vehicles and two trailers to the Native American reservation — the largest in the United States.
Each team spent a full week installing utility poles and extending wires to homes that were without electric service. Currently there are approximately 10,407 families living on the Navajo Nation that do not have electricity.
This year "Light Up Navajo" included linemen representing 16 different states from coast to coast. On average, 13 homes were connected each week with 4.2 miles of new powerline built.
"We are incredibly proud of our crew and the work they did," said Jason Bowling, Chief Executive Officer at SSVEC. "Participating in this program and providing electricity to homes and businesses that have been without this vital service says a lot about the character and quality of our people."
SSVEC employees who participated in the Light Up Navajo project from July 5 to July 12 included Eric Hessert, Chris Stephens, Frankie Bracamonte, Tyler Rios and Dylan Layton. From July 12 to July 19, the SSVEC crew included John Vandermeulen, Efren Gallego, Gabriel Ornelas, Brandon Torres, and CJ Putnam.
“I’m proud of our employees for stepping up and representing SSVEC with integrity and heart. Their work on the Navajo Nation is a powerful example of what service looks like in action,” said Nathan Hodges, Senior Vice President of Operations at SSVEC.
The crews set out early each Saturday from Benson and Willcox, respectively, for a more than eight-hour drive to the reservation. Each day consisted of 12 to 14 hours of work.
On the Thursday evening before returning to the SSVEC service territory, each team member was honored at a celebration hosted by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA).
The program was created through a partnership between NTUA and the American Public Power Association (APPA). APPA has a mutual aid program that sends electric crews to areas hit by natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes.
“The visiting volunteer line workers signed up to travel here to help make a life changing difference for families,” said NTUA General Manager Walter W. Haase. “They left with an immense pride of accomplishment, especially when families thanked them for leaving their families and communities to help bring positive change to their lives.”
SSVEC Happenings
WASHINGTON YOUTH TOUR
WYT: High school students entering their senior year earned an all-expense paid trip to the nation's capital through the Washington Youth Tour program, sponsored by SSVEC. The group left June 14th after gathering in Benson, for a week full of activities that included visiting national monuments, meeting federal legislators and their staff, and touring historic sites in Washington, D.C.
Pictured (from the left) are Isabella Garcia, Buena High School; Isabella Laura, Benson High School; Elizabeth Frederick, Veritas; Lyneea Kartchner, San Simon High School; Emerson Owens, Benson High School; Chris Gonzales, Valley Union High School; Ethan Bailey, Veritas; Travis Allred, Willcox High School; Caden Richins, St. David High School; Jaxon Savage, St. David High School; Aaron Edington, St. David High School; Dezireh Mejias, Buena High School; Esperanza Lepley, Tombstone High School; Jacob Cruz, Patagonia High School; and DeAndra Carabez, Tombstone High School.
Honoring a Visionary: Randy Redmond and the Legacy of the Arizona Firefighters Fund
By Eric Kriwer, Director
Arizona Firefighters Fund
At the 52nd Annual Arizona Fire School, we proudly recognize Randy Redmond, whose vision and leadership transformed firefighter training in Arizona. Beginning in 2026, the scholarship program will be renamed the Arizona Fire School – Redmond Family Scholarship, honoring his enduring legacy.
Randy’s journey began in the early 2000s as a member of the Arizona State Fire Training Committee (SFTC) executive board. Alongside Polly Elson, he traveled statewide, discussing ways to improve training access and simplify grant processes. When the Arizona State Fire Marshal’s Office ended Fire School funding in 2008, Randy, then the SFTC Chair, guided the committee through the transition — ushering in a more independent, service-driven approach.
Following that pivotal year, Randy proposed creating a nonprofit foundation to fund scholarships for firefighters from small and rural departments. By 2009, with support from John Hayes and corporate sponsors, he co-founded the Arizona Firefighters Fund, starting with $25,000.
The Fund grew rapidly. By 2012, Randy had secured $60,000 from 14 donors, leading to the awarding of 50 scholarships in 2013. Ongoing support from organizations like APS and the Kemper & Ethel Marley Foundation helped expand its reach.
In 2014, Randy launched the Arizona Firefighter Training Specialty License Plate, a four-year effort that now generates over $30,000 annually. From 2014 until his retirement at the 50th Fire School, the Fund consistently awarded 100 percent of eligible scholarships, reaching up to 400 firefighters annually, with 100 percent of donations going directly to training.
“His determination and leadership to ensure we were able to support Arizona firefighters for many years to come has been beyond visionary,” said Eric Kriwer. “The opportunity for Arizona firefighters to train and return home better prepared will be remembered through the Redmond Family name.”
Thanks to Randy, the Fund has moved over $1 million, supported more than 3,500 firefighters, and established a model that will serve generations to come.
Farm Tours
On July 17, Lea Marquez Peterson (red blouse, seventh from left), a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission and its past president, visited Turkey Creek and Curry Farms near
Willcox to find out more about each operation. Lea is the first Hispanic woman to serve in a statewide seat in the history of Arizona and is the only Commissioner based outside the
Phoenix area. After her appointment by Gov. Doug Ducey in 2019, she was elected to four-year terms in 2020 and 2024. During her tour she was accompanied by SSVEC and Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) representatives at each facility.