By Staff
Designated for wife, kids of lineman electrocuted last week
By MICHELE GERLACH Publisher
A fund has been established at Escambia County Bank in Flomaton for the family of a man who was electrocuted Tuesday while trying to restore power to the community.
Forty-one-year-old Ronnie Allen Adams, Jr., of Winterville, Ga., was one of about 1,600 employees of Pike Electric, Inc., of Mount Airy, N.C., deployed to this area in the aftermath of Hurricane Dennis.
Adams was working in a bucket truck when he slumped over, Flomaton Police Chief Mike Lambert said. He was not responsive when co-workers tried to revive him. He was airlifted to Jay Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
His death is being investigated by the Flomaton Police Department , as well as Alabama Power and Pike Electric, Inc. officials. Officials believe an improperly installed generator at a home or business backfed power into the line on which Adams was working.
The Tri-City Ledger in Flomaton established the account for Adams' family at Escambia County Bank in Flomaton on Thursday and is seeking contributions to it.
Ledger publisher Joe Thomas said Adams' death was on his mind Wednesday afternoon when a neighbor suggested that someone should do something to help the family. Adams was married and had two children.
Thomas said he thought of the idea just after his paper, which is published each Thursday, went to press Wednesday night. Rather than wait until their paper hit the streets next week, he and members of the Ledger staff began faxing and emailing media outlets.
Already, he's getting response.
He said he has been asked how the money will be distributed.
He also plans to go a step farther. In covering the story, he found that there was no law in Alabama that regulates the use of generators or their installation. He plans to ask some legislators to change that.
Checks payable to the Ronnie Adams Fund may be mailed to Escambia County Bank, P.O. Box 601, Flomaton, AL 36441, or taken to the bank at 2151 Ringold St., Flomaton.