“I’ve discovered during my career as a mascot that true significance and meaning in life come when I take my eyes off myself and look for opportunities to positively impact others. I believe one reason so many people in our world today walk around discouraged, depressed, and feeling like their life isn’t making an impact is that they spend the majority of their time and energy chasing worldly success instead of striving for a life of significance.”
Often we get asked: “Why does SEMO Electric Cooperative have regular safety meetings?” First, it’s the right thing to do. Second, it’s about the well-being of each individual of Team SEMO. Third, it’s about risk management for the individual, their family, and for the Cooperative. And fourth, I have no desire to see employees in a hospital or attend a funeral due to an accident. We work in a hazardous environment. I need to know we have prepared our team to live and work safely.
I do my best to attend all safety meetings. It is a great opportunity to learn and visit with the team. Plus, I take iPhone photos to help share the event with others in various ways including this column. A few weeks ago, John Arnold, training instructor for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, talked to Team SEMO about exposure to excessive noise and ways to prevent hearing loss. Arnold said sound intensity (also referred to as sound power or sound pressure) is measured in units called decibels (dB). He said hearing protection should be worn whenever noise levels are above 85 decibels. Protection can include earplugs, earmuffs, and customizable devices. He gave examples of real-world A-weighted decibels, or “dBA,” because dBA gives a better idea of when sound can damage your hearing – weed trimmer 95 dBA; .22 short rifle 86.7 dBA; MIG (metal inert gas) welder 87 DBA; and a running chainsaw 118 dBA.
As I listened to John, I became curious about the crowd noise during football games at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. As a fan, I have attended a few games to see the Kansas City Chiefs. I even had the opportunity to meet Dan Meer, aka KC Wolf. When KC Wolf enters the stadium on his four-wheeler to get the crowd warmed up, the place starts to get loud. The fans know kick-off is approaching.
The Kansas City Chiefs fans have claimed the honor of the loudest stadium twice in recent years: first in 2013, then again in 2014. Currently, the Chiefs maintain a Guinness World Record that has yet to be broken as the loudest stadium in the world. How loud? A roar of 142.2 dBA. As the 2022-2023 National Football League season starts, take your earmuffs if you travel to Kansas City for a game. If the Chiefs can get past the Buffalo Bills in January, KC Wolf will pack his bags to help the KC crowd get loud on February 12, 2023, at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona.
Ever wonder how loud a noise really is and if it could be damaging your hearing? There’s an app. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), developed the free NIOSH Sound Level Meter (SLM) App to help promote better hearing health and prevent hearing loss.
Looking ahead to 2023, GoSEMO Fiber’s television rates will increase. We don’t know the amount at this time. We are working with our broadcast partners and watching the marketplace as two key items are driving costs. According to Insider Intelligence, pay TV is in free fall as more and more families move to streaming. By the end of 2023, less than half of US households will have a traditional pay TV subscription. Between 2016 and 2021, pay TV lost more than 50 million adult viewers (or 25.5 million households), posting the steepest drop in 2020 at 7.7%. Fewer subscribers means higher costs for fans of traditional TV. Second, content is more expensive to create and produce, especially live sports. For example, ESPN+ just had a 43% price increase. If you are streaming, be sure to keep tabs on how much you spend. Finance Buzz Website says with content spread out over so many streaming services (and those services billing you automatically), costs could easily add up and sneak up on you. 1 in 4 people report that they spend more than $75 per month on streaming subscriptions, and 1 in 10 have “no idea” how much they spend.”
Book of the Month: “I’ve discovered during my career as a mascot that true significance and meaning in life come when I take my eyes off myself and look for opportunities to positively impact others. I believe one reason so many people in our world today walk around discouraged, depressed, and feeling like their life isn’t making an impact is that they spend the majority of their time and energy chasing worldly success instead of striving for a life of significance.” Mascot on A Mission by Dan Meers Book
Be smart. Act safe. #keeppushingforward
Sean is the CEO/GM of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber.