Think about the feeling you get when walking in a dimly-lit area at night. Chances are that you feel less than 100 percent safe. And this uneasy feeling happens for a reason - crimes like violent assault and theft from vehicles are often associated with dimly-lit areas. By installing and maintaining adequate outdoor business or home lighting, you can help reduce the risk for threats like the following:
increasing the quality of outdoor business or home lighting to help protect against crimes like vandalism. If potential offenders can be seen, they are less likely to inflict damage on your property.
2. Theft. Insufficient outdoor lighting is often a key factor in security breaches that result in home, vehicle or business thefts. Proper lighting helps to keep your valuables in their proper place.
3. Injury. In addition to crime, poor light can also contribute to injury. A lack of lighting in areas like stairwells or balconies can result in slips and falls.
Even if the outdoor areas of your home or business are well-lit at night, maintenance is also critical. “If you a photocell problem or your motion sensors aren’t working properly, Berwick Electric can help you out with that,” Project Manager Terry Schneider said. “And with the shorter daylight hours during winter months, adequate outdoor lighting is even more important.”
One in seven children in El Paso County doesn’t get enough to eat, and Colorado Springs area Ace Hardware stores aim to make a dent in that number.
You may remember the ALS Ice Bucket challenge from this past summer to raise money and awareness for The ALS Association. In the same vein, Ace Hardware - Unitah Gardens is putting on the Ace Lemon Challenge. For every video posted to the store’s Facebook page of a person taking a bite out of a lemon, and their resulting sour “pucker” face, the store will donate one dollar, up to $500, to Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado. All videos must be labeled with the hashtag #AceLemonChallenge.
To help this cause, Berwick Electric Co. employees were pleased to take a bite out of a lemon! Check out our video below.
In the spirit of the season, Berwick Electric Co. recently hosted a "Give Yourself the Gift of Light" contest with KKTV. Participants entered the contest via KKTV's Facebook page for a chance to win a $400 credit toward any home lighting upgrade.
Berwick Electric Co.'s service department is pleased to congratulate Dianne Schumacher, the winner of the "Give Yourself the Gift of Light" contest! With the New Year just around the corner, Dianne is looking forward to the upgrade. "I'm so excited to have won! This is great," Diane exclaimed. We look forward to working with Dianne!
To learn more about Berwick Electric's service department, click here.
You can also request electrical service by clicking the button below.
For Berwick Electric Co., wiring homes and businesses for light is part of our job. So, during the season of lights, we enjoy encouraging you to spread the light of good will to those who need it most. Whether you’re giving of your time or other resources, the opportunity to give to others truly is a gift in itself. Below you will find some inspiration for giving back to those who need it most.
1. The energy-generating "soccer" ball. As described in this Forbes.com article, the sOccket mixes play and physics in a most unique way. Created by Uncharted Play, playing with this “soccer ball” actually generates enough energy to power devices like an LED lamp or a water purifier - one hour of play equals a six-hour charge. The sOccket balls have been distributed to those in need in Mexico and South Africa. You can learn more about the sOccket and give here.
This holiday season, give back by providing gifts to those in need.
2. The Adopt-A-Family program. If you would like to donate gifts to less fortunate families in the Colorado Springs community, the Community Partnership for Childhood Development’s Adopt-A-Family Program facilitates just this. By “adopting” a family, you purchase gifts that are donated to families throughout the community. To learn more or donate, click here.
3. The Give! Campaign. The Colorado Springs Independent’s Give! Campaign benefits a variety of nonprofits in the Pikes Peak Region. This campaign is a great way to incorporate holiday giving. To view the nonprofits in this year’s campaign or to donate, click here.
4. The power of community. The holidays are often a difficult time for those who live far away from family, those who don’t have family or friends to celebrate with or those who live in nursing homes. Make someone’s season brighter by inviting them to a holiday party or bringing them a gift or yummy holiday treat. Even small gestures can spread holiday cheer, easing loneliness and brightening spirits.
So this season, take a moment to give of yourself to another in need. You will be glad you did! Do you have any other ideas for giving back this holiday season? If so, we would love to hear about them! Share in the comments box below.
During this season of lights, you’re most likely decorating your home or office building with joyful colors and lights. While you’re creating a festive atmosphere with décor, we encourage you to keep electrical safety first with these simple tips from Berwick Electric Co.'s service department project managers.
1. Don’t overload a circuit. One of the simplest decorating tips to keep in mind this time of year is to avoid plugging too many outdoor lights into one circuit. “Overloaded circuits cause breakers to trip,” Project Manager Terry Schneider explained. “Avoid this common mistake by using multiple circuits to feed your outside lights.”
2. Use proper extension cords. When you’re decorating outdoors, you’re most likely going to need an extension cord to plug your lights into an outlet. “It’s important to use a proper rated extension cord,” Project Manager James Rockhill said. “Avoid old, worn-out extension cords. Also, avoid placing light connections in areas that accumulate water, such as gutters.”
3. Replace old light strings with LED lights. “Because LED light strings are more efficient than older lights, more strings of lights can be plugged together,” James said. “This reduces the need for multiple outlets.”
So go ahead and brighten the season with the warmth of vibrant holiday lights and décor!
Do you have any other outdoor decorating safety tips for this time of year? If so, we encourage you to share them in the comments box below.
Berwick Electric Co.’s (BEC) electricians recently broke out the digger truck for a unique project involving the installation of helical bases for 54 lighting poles.
“The bases work like giant screws. Our electricians attach an adapter to the digger truck, and that allows us to bolt the pole base onto the digger truck’s auger. After this, the pole base is screwed into the earth,” BEC Project Manager Daniel Mondragon explained. “We aim to be done with this project by the end of December.”
To capture the project in motion, BEC Electrician Michael Lucas strapped a GoPro camera to the digger truck. You can get a glimpse of the project by watching the short video below.
To learn more about BEC, or to request service, please click here.
The scenery of the Lost Creek Wilderness is well known for its red peaks, bright skies and the snow-fed Tarryall River. Home to what will become the new Broadmoor Fishing Camp, Berwick Electric Co.’s (BEC) electricians are currently enjoying this beautiful setting as they work on the camp’s electrical installation.
“This unique project involves the renovation of an old, rustic cabin and lodge complex that was most recently known as the Ute Trail River Ranch and featured in some Park County history books,” Project Manager Mark Norman explained. “It is located about 20 miles north of Lake George, Colo., on Park County Road 77, near the Lost Creek Wilderness Area.
The Broadmoor Hotel recently purchased the property with plans to offer guided fishing trips and rustic stays for those seeking a memorable and adventurous outdoor experience. “We are working under Beckrich Construction on this interesting renovation project,” Mark said. “Beckrich is doing a great job maintaining the historic, rustic look of the complex, while performing some additions, upgrades and modernizations to the property.”
As the electrical contractor, BEC is upgrading the electrical service and distribution to 11 buildings, including a main lodge with dining and cooking facilities, seven basic cabins, a bath house, fish house and maintenance building. “We will be installing new lighting to match the décor of existing lighting and upgrading the branch circuit wiring as needed,” Mark explained. “One of the original electrical panels in the Lodge building was sold by Sears Roebuck & Company!”
Working alongside Project Manager Mark Norman is Foreman Tobi Collins, with installation assistance from BEC Electricians Eric Norman and Tom Meeker.
“It is a privilege to be part of this unique and challenging historical preservation project,” Mark said. “We are anticipating completion sometime in November, weather permitting.”
We invite you to take in the beautiful surroundings of this project by scrolling through the photos below. Photography was provided by the talented Emily Brumley of M Photography. Emily's work has been featured in publications like Destination Weddings, Honeymoons Magazine and Runner’s World Magazine. You can contact Emily at emily@m-photography.net or (719) 660-7496.
Berwick Electric Co. has a wide variety of electrical service capabilities, and that means that our customers come to us for their many electrical needs. Today, we have the pleasure of spotlighting our Data Communications (DataComm) department, led by Shane Gebbink, Paul Brumley and Dave Beck. Keep reading to learn more about datacomm, and click play on the video below to view photos from some of BEC’s recent datacomm projects.
What is DataComm?
Short for data communications, datacomm refers to the systems that transmit data to and from computers and components of computer systems. This type of communication is transmitted through wires, coaxial cables, fiber optics or radiated electromagnetic waves such as broadcast radio, infrared light, microwaves and satellites. Datacomm is an integral foundation of the way we communicate in today’s world.
Unique Challenges and Innovations
BEC’s datacomm department enjoys meeting the demands of their work with creative solutions. “We are constantly challenged with finding solutions that meet our customers’ needs,” BEC DataComm Manager Shane Gebbink explained. “There are always a lot of parts to juggle with any project, and we aim to please everybody who is involved.”
In addition to juggling various aspects of a project, BEC’s datacomm technicians also enjoy keeping up with the latest technology. “I enjoy the constant enhancement in technology - we have come so far in such a short time,” Shane said. “This makes us think about the future more. The field is always evolving,” he added. “One recent trend is ‘cloud computing’, and it is not going away. We are also seeing DAS, or distributed antenna systems, becoming part of our scope of work. These enhance cellular and emergency broadband in buildings.”
A Reputation of Excellence
When it comes to providing excellent service, BEC’s datacomm department is known for going above and beyond. “One thing that sets us apart is our experience. Our technicians are Building Industry Consulting Services International (BICSI) certified. BICSI publishes standards, guidelines and reference manuals for use in the design, installation and integration of information technology systems,” Shane explained. “Additionally, our technicians are long-term employees; we are committed to the trades.”
“Berwick Electric CO. is a reputation electrical contractor,” Shane emphasized. “Our reputation and relationships will be here after each project, and we strive to keep both in excellent condition.”
Unless you’re a pilot, chances are that you don’t regularly use a helicopter in your day job. Recently, BEC electricians got to work “outside the box” on an electrical upgrade project at Devil’s Head Fire Lookout, the last remaining manned U.S. Forest Service fire lookout tower in Colorado, located at the summit of Devil’s Head in Douglas County.
BEC Electricians enjoyed a variety of unique challenges with this project. Because the job site is only accessible by foot or rotor wing aircraft, the team used a helicopter to fly tools, equipment and materials in and out of the job site. In addition, communication through normal channels was limited, and preconstruction coordination was essential. Further, the team often worked in the rain to complete the project on schedule.
“A big thank you to Lucas, Brian Riggs and Josh Maul, whose efforts on the coordination were absolutely integral to the success of this project. We would also like to thank Rampart Helicopter Services and RGC Group, Inc. Due to the logistics associated with remobiliztion, Brian Riggs and Lucas actually spent three nights camped at the job site." Project Manager Andrew Maestas said. ”There were many late nights and early mornings for these guys, and without their willingness to go above-and-beyond, this project and projects like it would not be possible while maintaining the exceptional quality of service for which Berwick Electric Co. is known."
You can catch some of the highlights by clicking play on the video below.
To learn more about the work BEC does, click here.
Berwick Electric Co. has a long history of serving the community, and we strive to recognize others who do the same.
When a woman and two small children were stuck on the third floor of a burning building, brave firefighters from the Colorado Springs Fire Department hurried to pull the woman and children to safety. Colorado Springs Fire Department firefighters involved in the rescue include Driver Engineer Neil Raedel, Firefighter Luke Magistrelli, Lieutenant Mark Romero, Driver Engineer T.J. Bopp, Firefighter Nick Cruz and Firefighter Derek Smith.
We are pleased to honor these public safety employees, and we encourage you to join us in honoring them by watching the video below.
