Ameren Illinois Safety Supervisor Plays Major Role At International Utility Conference
Ameren Illinois' Chad Schimpf will help lead safety discussions, training for hundreds of lineworkers from across North America.
COLLINSVILLE - Hundreds of lineworkers from across North America will gather this October for the Safety and Training Conference, held ahead of the annual International Lineman's Rodeo in Overland Park, Kansas. Among those helping lead the event will be Chad Schimpf, an Ameren Illinois operations safety supervisor from Marion. Part of Schimpf's territory is in St. Clair County.
A former lineworker with 20 years of field experience, Schimpf serves as facilitator and chair of the conference, considered one of the electric utility industry's premier safety education events.
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The role places him at the center of a year-round effort to coordinate a program designed to help lineworkers and safety professionals return home safely.
Few understand the importance of that mission better than Schimpf.
In September 2018, while responding to an outage in Goreville, he suffered an electrical contact incident involving 7,200 volts.
What followed was a series of questions no lineworker ever wants to face:
- Would he survive?
- Would he lose his hand?
- Would he lose his feet?
- Would he lose his job?
The answers were uncertain as he was transported to a St. Louis burn unit, wondering what his future might hold.
Remarkably, Schimpf walked out of the hospital 24 hours later with no lasting physical effects.
Today, he views that experience as both a blessing and a responsibility.
"I feel like there's a need for me to do more," Schimpf said. "I've been given this opportunity, and I want to use it."
Turning experience into purpose
After returning to work, Schimpf was asked to share his story with fellow employees. He didn't hesitate.
"I was thankful to have a job," he said. "If sharing my story could help somebody else, then I wanted to do it."
What started as a discussion about a workplace incident evolved into a broader mission focused on safety culture, leadership and personal accountability.
This year, Schimpf estimates he has delivered 16 safety presentations.
His message reaches beyond the details of a single incident. Instead, he encourages employees to think about the consequences their decisions can have on co-workers, families and communities.
"When you make a bad decision, you don't think about all the people it affects," Schimpf said. "You don't think about the phone calls that have to be made, the families, the friends, and the co-workers. The ripple effect is much wider than people realize."
Leading a growing conference
After speaking at the International Lineman's Rodeo about his experiences, Schimpf was invited to help with the Safety and Training Conference and later asked to lead the program.
Working alongside a team of volunteers, he helps review speaker submissions, select presenters, and build a conference that delivers meaningful safety lessons while keeping attendees engaged.
The conference has grown significantly in recent years. Last year's event drew more than 300 attendees, with standing-room-only crowds during some presentations.
"We've really come a long way," Schimpf said. "The reputation of the conference keeps growing, and so does the interest from speakers."
Today, the event attracts utility professionals and safety experts from across North America and provides a forum for sharing hard-earned lessons and industry best practices.
Leaving the trade better than he found it
For Schimpf, the most meaningful moments happen after a presentation ends.
Attendees often approach him to share how his story changed their perspective or inspired improvements within their organizations.
Those conversations reinforce why he continues to speak.
"My goal is to leave the trade better than I found it," he said. "I am thankful every day. I've been very blessed."
That mission also shapes his work at Ameren, where he helps strengthen safety culture and reminds employees that every task, no matter how routine, deserves attention and respect.
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