ST. LOUIS, MO. — The electrical hazards found in Diane Lark’s home in Pine Lawn, Mo. were typical of what St. Louis union electricians and contractors found throughout the summer in more than a dozen low-income homes in the region. Exposed service panels, faulty electrical wiring and more were all common problems that were fixed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) in the annual Rebuilding Together St. Louis campaign. It was the 10th year in a row that IBEW/NECA, which partners to form the Electrical Connection, has helped Rebuilding Together improve low-income homes in St. Louis.

“The effort by IBEW/NECA and the Electrical Connection is invaluable to correcting life safety issues that plague local income homes in our region,” said Dave Ervin, Rebuilding Together executive director.

Since 2003, the IBEW/NECA partnership has supported Rebuilding Together donating more than $600,000 in labor and material to improve approximately 375 homes for low-income and elderly St. Louisans.

“As in past years, this was an opportunity to give unemployed IBEW electricians some paid work while improving the community we serve,” said Frank Jacobs, IBEW Local One business manager. “The Electrical Connection paid for six electricians to complete the work safely over the summer.”

“The annual Rebuilding Together effort is also a good reminder to all homeowners to ensure electrical installations in their homes meet the standards of the National Electrical Code,” said Douglas R. Martin, executive vice president of the St. Louis Chapter, NECA. “The homes repaired in Rebuilding Together are all up to code and should pass inspection when the owner decides to sell the home.” The Electrical Connection has a series of home electrical safety tips posted on its website www.electricalconnection.org.

“This took a lot of coordination on the part of electricians and contactors to make much needed improvements to living conditions,” said Dave Roth, IBEW business representative who mobilized the workforce. “They really stepped up to the plate to help the less fortunate in our community.”

Members of the Electrical Connection provide safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world. Find a contractor near you in the Electrical Connection contractor database.

Participants from IBEW Local One, St. Louis Chapter NECA and the Electrical Connection join Rebuilding Together St. Louis and the family of Diane Lark, whose Pine Lawn, Mo. home was one of more than a dozen low incomes homes that were provided with safe electrical upgrades. Left to right are IBEW Local 1 electrician Tim Blackwell; Dave Roth, IBEW business representative; homeowner Diane Lark’s daughter, Diane; Dave Ervin, executive director, Rebuilding Together; Cheryl Real, Kelcy Sidall, Jessie Conner and Leah Greenbaum, all with Rebuilding Together.

Tim Blackwell of IBEW Local One finishes up electrical repairs to the home of Diane Lark’s home in Pine Lawn, Mo. It was the 10th year in a row that IBEW and the St. Louis Chapter NECA teamed with the Electrical Connection to volunteer to repair low income homes as part of Rebuilding Together St. Louis.