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Electrical Connection Provides Free Exterior Lighting and Motion Detectors to Three Crime-Fighting Neighborhoods

ST. LOUIS - Crime fighting ingenuity in three St. Louis city neighborhoods is paying off with safer and more secure homes thanks to the Electrical Connection. The neighborhoods were winners in the city's 2005 anti-crime National Night Out program. For the 10th consecutive year, Electrical Connection members provided the prize - free installation of exterior lighting and motion detectors. The Electrical Connection is a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local #1 and the St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

This year's winners were the 4300 block of Strodtman Place in North St. Louis in the College Hill neighborhood; the 500 block of Wilmington in the Carondelet neighborhood; and the 2900 block of Shenandoah in the Tower Grove East neighborhood.

On March 25 an army of 75 IBEW Local #1 electricians and union electrical contractors descended on 4300 of Strodtman Place to safely install exterior lights and motions detectors. Installations in the other two neighborhoods will take place at a later date.

"Lights and motion detectors are a proven deterrent to crime," said Stephen P. Schoemehl, IBEW Local #1 business manager. "Our membership is proud to sustain a 10-year-long tradition of volunteering to reward communities that are making neighborhoods safer places to live." Since 1995, the Electrical Connection has completed free installations at more than 850 homes in more than 30 St. Louis neighborhoods. The total value of the installations exceeds $450,000.

Union electrical contracting firms that volunteered services for the installations on Strodtman Place included Briner Electric, Kaiser Electric, Inc., Guarantee Electrical Co., PayneCrest Electric and Communications, RJP Electric, Sachs Electric and Schaeffer Electric Co.

"Our rich tradition of building in the St. Louis area extends far beyond safe and quality installations," said Douglas R. Martin, executive vice president of the St. Louis Chapter, NECA. "Our Electrical Connection membership is part of this community. We raise families here and are actively involved in making our region a better place to live. Supporting National Night Out is just one way we show our appreciation for the privilege of serving our residential and commercial customers in St. Louis."

In addition to its work with National Night Out, the Electrical Connection has donated services to Habitat for Humanity and to Rebuilding Together St. Louis, a program designed to improve homes owned by low-income, elderly persons.

Stephen P. Schoemehl, IBEW Local #1 business manager, installs lighting on a home in the 4300 block of Strodtman Place on March 25, 2006. The home was one of several in the North St. Louis neighborhood to receive free installations from the Electrical Connection.

Jay Lewis III of Schaeffer Electric Co. holds the ladder for Kendall Eldridge of PayneCrest Electric and Communications while IBEW Local #1 apprentice Keith Plume assists in the Electrical Connection's free installations in the 4300 block of Strodtman Place in North St. Louis.