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October 5, 2012

Idaho Power Employees Make Fourth CPR Save

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho – Idaho Power Line Crew Foreman Vance Poe will receive the Extra-Mile Safety Award from company leaders and the Heartsaver Hero Award from the American Heart Association on Tues., Oct. 9 at 8 a.m. at Idaho Power’s Mountain Home office, 2430 American Legion Blvd. Employees have responded to four heart-related emergencies since last August, saving those lives using CPR.

Poe was at an event after hours on Sept. 6 and was among a crowd of spectators. Forty-nine-year-old Doug Kriebs collapsed to the ground nearby and Poe heard screams. Arrhythmia had stopped Kriebs’ heart, but by using CPR, Poe kept oxygen and blood flow going until paramedics arrived.

“I don’t remember much about responding or deciding what to do, I just became kind of a machine and did what I needed to,” Poe said. “Time stood still. I don’t know how long I did CPR, I just know I was really winded when the ambulance got there.”

Kriebs, who is married and has a 12-year daughter and 9-year-old son, will be forever grateful. “I can’t thank him enough. I called him when I got home from the hospital to tell him thanks. I haven’t met him in person, so I look forward to seeing him on Tuesday.”

Idaho Power linemen are required to take CPR training annually as part of their line safety and emergency response/rescue training. All employees are offered the classes, and many take it more than once. “Employees live in communities throughout our service area and can be great resources this way,” said Scott Taylor, Idaho Power Safety Professional and CPR Instructor. “In particular the line crews can be important first-responders in remote areas.”

Other “saves” in the past year include:
• Safety Professional Jason Qualls and a high school athlete in American Falls, Aug. 13, 2011;
• Ten IT and HR employees and a fellow employee at a downtown Boise office, Dec. 16, 2011;
• Five linemen in Hagerman and a local resident, June 5, 2012;
• Vance Poe and spectator Doug Kriebs on Sept. 6, 2012. Poe, whose mother was an EMT, also saved a drowning boy in McCall, Idaho, in 2001.

"Idaho Power is a great partner with us and they do so much to further heart health, awareness and fund-raising events," said Jessica Budzianowski, executive director for the American Heart Association. “We’re honored to participate and recognize Vance for his courage to step up and save a life.”

The American Heart Association’s Heartsaver Hero Award is presented to individuals who demonstrate tremendous courage by performing CPR. Nearly 400,000 cardiac arrests occur annually in the United States. When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, survival depends on immediately getting CPR from a bystander nearby.

About Idaho Power Company:
Idaho Power began operations in 1916. Today, the electric utility employs approximately 2,000 people who serve nearly 500,000 customers throughout a 24,000-square-mile area in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon. With 17 low-cost hydroelectric projects as the core of its generation portfolio, Idaho Power’s residential, business and agricultural customers pay among the nation’s lowest rates for electricity. IDACORP, Inc. (NYSE: IDA) is the investor-owned utility’s parent company based in Boise, Idaho. To learn more, visit www.idahopower.com or www.idacorpinc.com.

About the American Heart Association:
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. In Idaho, we team with volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. To learn more or to get involved, call 208-384-5066 or visit www.heart.org.

Contact: Lynette Berriochoa
Media Relations Leader
Idaho Power
208-388-2407 and lberriochoa@idahopower.com
1-800-458-1443 media line