Leesburg Electric Receives Florida Municipal Electric Association Safety Award

Leesburg Electric was among 17 Florida public power utilities to receive a 2025 Safety Award from the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA), which recognizes utilities’ commitment to safety. The award was presented at the Florida Lineman Competition Awards Banquet in Tallahassee this past Saturday.

Linework is listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs. The fatality rate for lineworkers is nearly 400 percent higher than the national average for all occupations. In order to provide reliable power, Florida lineworkers and power crews are frequently engaged in dangerous work that can place them at risk of serious or fatal injuries, which is why public power utilities place a significant emphasis on safety and training.

FMEA recognizes and rewards safe operations through its annual Safety Awards. Utilities are placed into categories based on their total worker hours and rewarded for the most incident-free records. The incidence rate used to judge utilities was based on the number of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses compared to the total number of worker hours during 2025, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Leesburg Electric received a Perfect Record award in the category with other similar-sized utilities.

“Safety is the foundation of reliable electric utility operations and the cornerstone of employee protection. Every task, from routine maintenance to emergency power restoration, must be performed with a commitment to hazard awareness, proper procedures, and accountability. Each of these winners, including Leesburg Electric, exemplifies this commitment and we commend them for a job well done,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director.

Florida’s public power utilities are locally owned, locally controlled and locally operated enabling them to quickly respond to the needs of their communities. They are also among some of the most reliable power providers in the state.