Electric Shock Drowning 07/22/2015 Ed Lethert Electric Shock - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

07/22/2015 Ed Lethert

Electric Shock Drowning

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Electric Shock Drowning

Thanks to Gary Hughes Greg Nybeck LMCD Board

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07/22/2015 Ed Lethert

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Edward "Ed" Lethert

Electric Shock Drowning Safety Specialist

New Hope, MN elethert@gmail.com www.electricshockdrowningmn.com

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Background Lakeshore Weekly News Article

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Lake Minnetonka Boater

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Member: Minnetonka Power Squadron

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ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING PREVENTION ASSOCIATION

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AWARENESS PREVENTION

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This evening's presentation

• Non-Technical
• A subset of the complete ESD

Presentation (approx 1½ hours)

• The full presentation can be made to

interested entities upon request

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Thanks

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Questions

Questions and comments are welcome and encouraged immediately following the presentation Presenter will also be available after the meeting to address additional questions

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Thanks to Capt. David Rifkin and Kevin Ritz for permission to use some of their material.

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Of all the people I have spoken with, almost no

• ne appears to have heard of Electric Shock

Drowning Recent Question to Lakeshore Property Owner:

"Is the circuit that powers your electrically operated boat lift protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter?"

Response:

"I have no idea."

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Objectives … To Answer the Following

• What is Electric Shock Drowning?

(also known as "ESD")

• What conditions can cause ESD?
• Can water leakage currents or voltage

gradients be detected or measured?

• Are there serious danger thresholds?
• Are there standards, policies and

procedures for minimizing the risk of ESD?

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Applicable Installations/Facilities

• Marina Facilities
• Private Docks *
• RV Parks, Campgrounds, etc.
• Swimming pools, spas, ponds, etc.
• Submersible Pumps
• Agricultural – Irrigation Canals
• Manhole covers – (New York City - "Street Zaps")

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This subject material applies directly to ANY environments where electric circuits and equipment operate in, on, or near a body of water

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Why Cause for Concern?

• Increase in use of electrically operated

equipment in and around recreational (and non-recreational) waters

• Increase in Do-It-Yourself electrical work by

unqualified individuals

• Lack of inspections by the Authority Having

Jurisdiction (electrical inspections)

• Less caution exercised by the public
• More litigious culture

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ESD Victims

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Lost to ESD

Comment: Samantha Chipley Article

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Marcus Colburn, age 21, died as a result of ESD

• n Father’s Day, June 21st, 2015

Lost to ESD

Comment: Circuit Breaker

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James D. Shafer and Capt. David Rifkin (USN, Ret) have compiled a database of known ESD incidents going back as far as the mid-1980s It's the only known list of its kind It is updated by Capt. Rifkin as each new ESD related incident becomes known

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It is believed that the actual number of ESD fatalities is much higher than known or reported as paralysis due to small electric currents passing through the body is not recognizable post- mortem as the cause of the drowning

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Electrical Safety Around Water

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This goes without saying

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As does this … I hope

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The possibility of an in-the-water shock hazard exists wherever shore-powered AC electrical equipment is located in the water, over the water, or near the water Awareness of and mitigation of in-water shock hazards (the cause of ESD) is of vital importance

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National Electrical Code 90.1 Purpose. (A) Practical Safeguarding. The purpose

• f this Code is the practical safeguarding
• f persons and property from hazards

arising from the use of electricity. …

2014 NEC (NFPA 70)

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"practical safeguarding of persons"

• Standards — Laws — Regulations

WV, TN, KY , MO, etc. MN?

• Quality and Skilled Workmanship
• Inspection by Competent Authority
• Ongoing Monitoring and Inspection
• EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC

Comment: Legislative actions MN DLI Electrical Inspections Div

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Electric Shock Drowning

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Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) is a unique form of drowning caused by waterborne alternating currents (AC) These currents can produce dangerous voltage gradients in the water The voltage gradients can cause an electrical current to flow through the body of an individual in the water

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The thru-body current produced by the voltage gradient, if sufficiently high, can paralyze the body's muscles, inhibiting

• ne's ability to swim, or even to move
• ne's limbs … or worse

The outcome in most ESD cases is that an

• therwise healthy individual drowns

(water in the lungs)

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These thru-body currents, depending on their magnitude, can:

• Paralyze skeletal muscles
• Cause respiratory paralysis (shut down

the lungs)

• Initiate ventricular fibrillation
• Result in full cardiac arrest

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ESD is not exactly the same as death by electrocution, which usually results from direct contact with energized metal

• bjects or surfaces

In-water electrocutions are included in the definition of ESD because they are caused by the same fault conditions that cause an ESD fatality

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According to OSHA, an AC current as small as 6 mA through the body can begin to affect muscle control It is generally agreed that 10 mA of AC current flowing through the body (0.01 amperes) is the threshold at which the current could be considered potentially lethal

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US Dept. of Labor: OSHA – "How Electrical Current Affects the Human Body" www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/electrical_incidents/ eleccurrent.html

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Mechanism Typical AC Current Loss of arm/leg muscle control: Average female 10 mA Loss of arm/leg muscle control: Average male 16 mA Paralysis of breathing muscles 20 mA Heart fibrillation 100 mA

"Conduction of Electrical Current to and Through the Human Body: A Review" Richard M Fish, PhD, MD, FACEP and Leslie A Geddes, MS, PhD, DSc, Eplasty, v9(2009)

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One 60 watt, 120 volt incandescent light bulb draws 500 milliamperes of current … 50 times more than the 10 mA that can paralyze an individual in the water

By way of comparison …

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What about pets and other critters?

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Animals are not immune to the effects of these water-borne currents ESD has claimed family pets that have entered these charged waters

and

Individuals have fallen victim to ESD when entering the water in an attempt to rescue their pets

Example – Irrigation canal deaths

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A Monumental ESD Tragedy

Friday Aug 31, 2012 Track coach [woman], two men [one a relative], 1 dog [family pet] electrocuted in Idaho irrigation canal Another family member attempting a rescue was shocked but survived Police say: "The electrified canal could have killed more" They [canal experts] say it is virtually impossible to know if water is electrified by sight or sound Idaho Power shut off the power in the area so rescuers could recover the bodies

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Solar Powered Boat Lift

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Direct Current (DC) is generally not a concern, although it can be a fire or burn hazard under certain conditions It takes from 2 to 5 times as much direct current (DC) to cause the same bodily effect as alternating current (AC) 12 and 24 volt DC systems are not able to produce the water-borne currents or voltage gradients necessary to create an ESD hazard

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Remember:

An in-the-water shock hazard can exist wherever shore-powered AC electrical equipment is located in the water, over the water, or adjacent to the water … regardless of its function

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Water Leakage Currents

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We know a whole lot more about ESD, water-borne leakage currents and voltage gradients thanks to the extensive and thorough investigative work of

• Capt. David Rifkin (USN, Ret) and James D. Shafer

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This significant and ground-breaking work by David Rifkin and James Shafer, funded by the US Coast Guard, has provided us with a wealth of data on In- Water Shock Hazards and ESD David Rifkin's research is ongoing and this 150+ page work is one that your presenter references often

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Available at www.qualitymarineservices.net

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Kevin Ritz is a major and long-time contributor to ESD awareness, research and prevention. He lost his son of 8 years, Lucas Ritz, in 1999 as the result of Electric Shock Drowning

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The research by David Rifkin and James Shafer has shown that ESD is a fresh water phenomenon This is due principally to the much lower conductivity (much higher resistance) of fresh water The greater part of the in-water current will flow through the human body with a lesser amount flowing around it

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Water Current Water Current

Voltage Gradient = 23.8 Volts --- Very Lethal

Voltage Gradient 6 Ft

Fresh Water

Body Current

Current Source

Body current is large relative to water current

Current Source

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Causes of Water Leakage Currents

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To establish dangerous levels of leakage current flow in the water—and thus produce the resulting lethal voltage gradients—two conditions must be met

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First …

There must be some form of electrical fault (hot to ground) at some point in the AC system (AC powered wiring or equipment) This will be a low level fault current as

• pposed to the high level of current that
• ccurs as the result of a short circuit

The low level fault current is not enough to trip a circuit breaker … so it remains continuous and undetected

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Second …

There must be a failure in the shore power bonding (grounding) system … the equipment bonding/grounding path

• Total failure (open circuit)
• Very seriously

degraded wiring

• r connection

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When these two conditions exist at the same time, any underwater metals— which are no longer bonded back to the AC source—become energized to lethal voltage levels The difference in voltage between these energized metals and the power source ground establishes dangerous currents and voltage gradients in the water

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A person finding themselves in this "charged" water can experience a dangerous AC current passing through their body When this current is high enough, nominally in the range of 10 or more milliamps (that's thousandths of an ampere), paralysis is likely to occur, resulting in the inability to remain afloat, followed by drowning

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Invitation to an ESD Incident

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One of the 'HOT' conductors

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Harbor Cove Marina, Duluth, MN

Which is why …

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Minnetonka Power Squadron Island Facility, Lake Minnetonka

NO SWIMMING OFF OF BOATS OR DOCKS

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When Is It "Safe" to Go Into the Water?

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Safe is defined in Webster's 1828 Dictionary as

• 1. Free from danger of any kind
• 2. Free from hurt, injury or damage
• 5. Placed beyond the power of doing

harm

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When is it "safe" to … ?

Careful consideration should be given to any use of the word "safe" when working

• r playing with or near electrically

connected equipment that is in, on or near the water

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The term "safe" to enter the water is risky in itself and should never be used where and when shore power is installed and used, or in the context of water leakage currents

Example – BoatUS Article

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The term "degree of risk" would be more suitable and excludes any inference that somehow absolute safety is guaranteed

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So when is the risk of ESD "very low"? Opinions vary somewhat, but there is general agreement among experts that a minimum distance of between 150 feet and 300 feet from active AC electrical systems would reduce the danger of ESD to "very low risk" (and therefore acceptable?) levels for recreational activities

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It could be considered "very low risk" to enter the water (for inspection, maintenance and repair purposes) where ALL nearby shore power is switched off AT THE POWER SOURCE This would include securing ALL nearby

• n-board generators and inverters

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What about someone who falls into the water inadvertently (or is just plain careless regarding their well-being)? There are some visual checks and electrical tests that can be performed on a regular basis to reduce the risk of in- water shock for these individuals

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It is never "safe" to enter the water in the vicinity of shore powered watercraft or equipment … for any reason … EVER! … while any nearby circuits are energized!

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Checking the Shore System Wiring

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When checking the shore system at the dock

• utlet, there is considerably more to it than

just checking for voltage and polarity

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More information is required which means more sophisticated testing is required.

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Checking for Leakage Current

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Hioki 3283

Excellent for ESD work True RMS Very accurate Reads down to 0.01 mA Cost is ≈ 350.00

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Prevention

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NO SWIMMING OR WADING DO NOT ENTER THE WATER RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

Signage

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Ground Fault Protection

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Class A GFCI Receptacle (5 mA Trip) Ground Fault Protection

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Class A GFCI Breaker (5 mA Trip) Ground Fault Protection

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Ground fault (GFCI protection required for 125V, 15 and 20 amp receptacle outlets:

• Swimming Pools (1971)
• Located Outdoors (1971) **
• Bathrooms (1973)
• Garages (1978)
• Spas and Hot Tubs – incl hardwired (1981)
• Boat Houses (1987) **
• Boat Hoists – incl hardwired (2005) **

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Disconnect Switch at Accessible Location Ground Fault Protection

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EPO Switch for Marinas ?

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Codes and Standards

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Marina Power Shore Cord

NFPA 70 National Electrical Code Article 555 Marinas and Boatyards Mandatory Compliance Required in Minnesota

Insure Compliance with Codes and Standards

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ARTICLE 555 — Marinas and Boatyards [2014 NEC] 555.1 Scope. This article covers the installation of wiring and

equipment in the areas comprising fixed or floating piers, wharves, docks, and other areas in marinas, boatyards, boat basins, boathouses, yacht clubs, boat condominiums, docking facilities associated with residential condominiums, any multiple docking facility, or similar occupancies, and facilities that are used, or intended for use, for the purpose of repair, berthing, launching, storage, or fueling of small craft and the moorage of floating buildings.

Private, noncommercial docking facilities constructed or occupied for the use of the

• wner or residents of the associated single-

family dwelling are not covered by this article.

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ARTICLE 555 — Marinas and Boatyards 555.1 Scope. This article covers the installation of wiring and

equipment in the areas comprising fixed or floating piers, wharves, docks, and other areas in marinas, boatyards, boat basins, boathouses, yacht clubs, boat condominiums, docking

facilities associated with one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings,

and residential condominiums, any multiple docking facility, or similar occupancies, and facilities that are used, or intended for use, for the purpose of repair, berthing, launching, storage, or fueling of small craft and the moorage of floating buildings.

Proposed change in scope for inclusion in 2017 NEC

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Typical ESD Event and Response

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Typical ESD Scenario

• Victim enters the electrically charged water

… becomes partially or totally disabled

• Victim may or may not remain conscious
• Victim may not remain on surface
• Victim may or may not call for help
• Victim's situation can worsen when seeking a

"safe haven" (moves toward rather than away from the source)

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Recommended Action for ESD Event The victim …

• should, if able, keep arms and legs close to

the body (this action reduces exposure to the voltage gradient)

• should, if able and possible, move back in

the direction from which they came — or

• therwise, move away from the presumed

current source

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Recommended Action for ESD Event First responders/rescuers/bystanders …

• should, if at all possible, switch off all dock

electrical power at the source

• must fight the instinct to enter the water —

many well-meaning rescuers have died trying to help ESD victims

• must remember always to

Reach … Throw … Row … But Don't Go (into the water)

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Recommended Action for ESD Event First responders/rescuers/bystanders …

• should throw life ring or other flotation

device, etc. to a conscious and able victim

• should not throw a line to the victim and

then pull the victim closer to the current source

• Should push the victim away from the

presumed source with an insulated pole

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Recommended Action for ESD Event First responders/rescuers/bystanders …

• should attempt first aid/CPR where the

victim can be safely removed from the water

• should call for help immediately — Dial 911
• r call on VHF Channel 16 as appropriate
• should know that there is currently no known

portable test device available to quickly detect a hazardous condition in the water

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Training Recommended ESD response training should be provided for the following (at a minimum)

• Law Enforcement
• Firefighters
• Emergency Medical Technicians
• Marina Staff
• Others?

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In Summary

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Remember:

An in-the-water shock hazard can exist wherever shore-powered AC electrical equipment is located in the water, over the water, or adjacent to the water

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The Cardinal Rule:

Do not enter the water in the vicinity of shore powered watercraft

• r equipment … for any reason …

EVER! … while any nearby electrical equipment or circuits are energized!

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Please Take a Brochure Take One for a Friend or Neighbor

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More Information

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ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING PREVENTION ASSOCIATION

www.electricshockdrowning.org/

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Quality Marine Services, LLC

www.qualitymarineservices.net

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ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING RESOURCE CENTER

www.boatus.com/seaworthy/ESD.asp

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QUESTIONS ?

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Thank You

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Edward "Ed" Lethert

Electric Shock Drowning Safety Specialist

New Hope, MN elethert@gmail.com www.electricshockdrowningmn.com

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