Merrill Lee Sears, 24, telephone lineman, saved Jerald D. Bailey, 20, telephone lineman, from electric shock, Columbus, Ohio, June 8, 1965. While Bailey was working atop a telephone pole 45 feet high, his head came into contact with a high-voltage electric line three feet above the pole. Bailey lost consciousness and slumped over the crossarm. Sears, who was working lower on the pole, climbed to a position where his chest was level with the top crossarm. He fastened his safety belt around the pole and, leaning as far as he could, took hold of Bailey’s wrist. Bailey began to revive and squirm. Fearing Bailey would come into contact with the charged line again, Sears securely held him on the crossarm. Bailey made determined efforts to sit up, and each time his head came to within five inches of the power line. Sears had to exert his full strength to hold Bailey, who attempted to free himself at least 10 times during the 10 minutes before the power could be turned off. Bailey continued to struggle. To prevent Bailey from falling, Sears moved him along the crossarm to the pole and held him there for about 25 minutes until firemen lowered him to the ground. Bailey was hospitalized for extensive burns. He recovered.
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