Services have been announced for Kevin D. Wright of Evansville, Indiana, who passed away on May 22, 2019 after falling from a tower in Polk County, Iowa while performing restoration services for KDSM FOX as an employee of Precision Communications, Inc. of Grove, Oklahoma. Kevin was born in Randolph County, Indiana on October 23, 1971, to David H. and Sandra (Arnold) …
Tower Family Foundation appoints Willie Goldman to its Endowment Committee
The Tower Family Foundation announced today that Willie Goldman, Southeastern Regional Business Development Manager for Drake Lighting, LLC, has been appointed to serve on the Foundation’s Endowment Committee. The Tower Family Foundation made the announcement at the Connect (X) 2019 Conference that is taking place this week in Orlando, Fla. “The Tower Family Foundation is excited to continue to expand our …
300-foot fall is fatal to Arkansas tower technician, father of two
Services will be held Monday morning for tower technician Christopher Hawkins, 34, of Caraway, AR who passed away Thursday after falling from a 300-foot guyed tower in Brookhaven, Miss. Visitation for the father of two children will be at Monette Church of Christ, 702 Drew Ave., Monette, AR at 10 a.m. followed by services at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at …
Recent rescue raises concerns about climbers’ ability to rescue their fellow workers
On May 6, 2019, a tower technician employed by Infinity Construction Solutions, Inc. called 911 to rescue his unnamed coworker off a monopole in Georgia. A Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson informed Wireless Estimator that it took two hours to perform the “methodical” rescue. He was then transported to a hospital. They did not provide the extent of …
Nebraska tower foundation driller’s employee electrocuted in Virginia
A tower foundation drilling company worker died on April 26, 2019, after being electrocuted on a jobsite, according to individuals knowledgeable of the April 22, 2019 incident that occurred in Accomac, Va. Kevlin Finck, 30, of Nebraska, employed by Dietzel Enterises, Inc. of Omaha, was at a construction site when a track-mounted drill rig reportedly had a winch line come …
Three industry leaders appointed to Tower Family Foundation positions to assist continued growth
The Tower Family Foundation announced today three appointments to the non-profit organization’s leadership structure, individuals who are committed to ensuring that the Foundation continues to expand its ability to serve wireless workers and their families when there is a work site injury or fatality. A recent Climber Connection video highlights how an injured tower technician and his wife were overwhelmed by the Foundation’s assistance. …
Tower Family Foundation and NATE announce 2019’s scholarship recipient
The Tower Family Foundation and National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today jointly announced that Austin Uhr, a junior civil engineering student from Evansville, Indiana has been named as the 2019 recipient of the Ernie Jones Memorial Civil Engineering Scholarship at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. The official announcement was made at the NATE Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, …
NATE TFF video tugs at the heart strings as Willie Robertson provides comic relief
NATE UNITE 2019’s Keynote luncheon yesterday in Grapevine, Tex. began with a heart-warming Climber Connection video, entitled “Tower Family Foundation: A Helping Hand” that highlighted the incredible impact the foundation plays in providing financial resources and scholarships to industry workers and families in the aftermath of a work-related accident or fatality. It presented the touching personal story of how the …
CTI Towers’ employees give generously to support tower workers in need
The Tower Family Foundation was the recipient today of a $13,000 donation raised by the employees of CTI Towers. October was designated as “Charity Month” at CTI, where employees were able to donate personal funds to the Cary, N.C. company’s designated charity for 2018. “We are always amazed at the kindness of our employees to assist those in need. They …
Turn this T-Day into a Happy V-Day
For more than 14 years, Wireless Estimator has been privileged to reach your computer screen or smartphone every day. For that, we are thankful. More importantly, we are thankful to those men and women who don’t look for thanks – our country’s volunteers, the spirited folks that genuinely make this industry great. Unfortunately, trying to recognize every one of them and …
Mount failure being investigated in accident that killed a New Mexico tower technician
A 28-year-old tower technician was killed Friday afternoon in an industry accident that occurred off of NM 14 northeast of Albuquerque, N.M. According to sources knowledgeable of the incident, David Fernandez of Las Cruces, N.M., employed by Enertech of New Braunfels, Tex., was performing a Sprint antenna change-out on a water tower in an all-terrain man lift when he fell …
Fund set up for MasTec construction manager’s family after he died in weekend tower collapse
On Saturday morning, Ken Mitchell Waddell, 30, of Crossville, Tenn. kissed his wife, Cadie, and their five children goodbye and drove 45 minutes to Cookeville to help erect a 70-foot guyed tower for a ham radio operator on private property. Late in the afternoon, expecting him to be home shortly for dinner with their five children, she received the horrific news that her …
Tower workers and families are major benefactors of T-Mobile’s 5th golf tournament
The ‘uncarrier’ yesterday clearly showed that it is the caring carrier when T-Mobile donated $360,000 to two non-profit industry organizations that assist tower workers and their families. At T-Mobile’s 5th Annual National Development Golf Tournament held Wednesday in Newcastle, Wash., the carrier continued their generous track record of philanthropy by donating $180,000 to the Tower Family Foundation which provides financial assistance and scholarships to family …
Foundation launches ‘$1 Per Tower’ campaign and highlights donors
The Tower Family Foundation today recognized the tower owner/vertical solutions provider companies who are the inaugural donors to the organization’s “$1 Per Tower” fundraising campaign. The “$1 Per Tower” effort involves firms who own and manage vertical communications infrastructure sites and commit to donating $1 for every tower the company owns directly to the Tower Family Foundation. The foundation made …
Tower Family Foundation and NATE assist Indiana student with memorial scholarship
The Tower Family Foundation and National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today jointly announced that Corey Gilreath, a junior civil engineering student from Evansville, Ind., has been named as the 2018 recipient of the Ernie Jones Memorial Civil Engineering Scholarship at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Ind. Gilreath already has significant real-world experience, having spent the past four years …
Lawsuit targets multiple companies in Ernie Jones’ tragic death
The widow of a well-respected and prominent Indiana structural engineer who died on Oct. 21, 2015 when he was crushed to death between an elevator and a guyed tower’s structural members has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Oklahoma, where the incident occurred, against the owner of the tower, the manufacturer of the structure, the elevator manufacturer, and a contractor …
Tower Family Foundation golf invitational set for February 18 in Nashville
You can get an early start to your 2018 golf season by hitting the links and participating in the inaugural Tower Family Foundation Golf Invitational. This fun event will take place the day before the annual NATE UNITE conference begins on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Gaylord Springs Golf Club in Nashville, Tenn. The event is powered by NATE’s Wireless …
Tower Family Foundation highlights its incredible results
In an act of transparency, the Tower Family Foundation, a 501c-3 non-profit, today touted the organization’s strong financial management and stewardship track record in an industry-wide announcement. Independent certified public accounting firm Vilhauer, Raml & Snyder LP calculated that the Tower Family Foundation’s administrative expenses for the year ending December 31, 2016 as a percentage of total revenue was 3.36%. …
No barriers in the way of the un-carrier’s drive to support tower techs/veterans
All carriers and tower owners support the need for a safe environment for tower techs, but T-Mobile has unfailingly gone the extra mile in its deeds and donations. The un-carrier, consistently ranked for having the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network speeds for its 72-million-plus subscribers, has quickly and deservedly captured a reputation for having the greatest concern for the safety of …
Tower Family Foundation and NATE announce the 2017 Ernie Jones Memorial Scholarship recipient
The Tower Family Foundation and National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today jointly announced that Elyse Massey, a junior Civil Engineering major from Evansville, Indiana, has been named as the 2017 recipient of the Ernie Jones Memorial Civil Engineering Scholarship at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. Through her time at the University of Evansville, Elyse Massey has …
