ROSSVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Electricity is such an important part of modern life, but something that does so much good can turn deadly in an instant. So, one Vermillion County fire department hosted a training to make sure their team knows what to do.

“You can’t hear it, can’t smell it, you can’t see it. But it’s super deadly.” said former Lineman and trainer Kyle Finley.

This means the first responders who show up to scenes with downed power lines, poles and other infrastructure need to know how to handle it.

“It’s kind of cool. Covington showed up, Cissna Park, and Bismarck,” said Assistant Chief Blake Douglass. “So that’s neat.”

Former lineman Steven Hancock runs the demonstration, helped by previous owner of Live Line demo, Finley.

“Steve is going to make sure that, you know with the safety unit, that he educates the first responders on all different aspects of the electrical system, whether it’s our secondary 120 right on up to the high voltage and transmission lines,” Finley said.

Something he said these firefighters will see in the field.

“First responders are on numerous calls that are involving the power lines and the power company,” Finley said.

And Tuesday night, around 50 of them got the full three-hour training.

“Biggest thing is just for the safety of our department,” Douglass said. “I mean, we don’t want to show up and then just, you know, get electrocuted or something really bad happens. So, I mean, at the end of the day when we’re trying to protect lives, but we’re trying to protect our staff.”

Hancock took them through the basics of electricity, gear to stay safe and what can go wrong.

“Making sure those guys are making the right call, that they get back home with their families because, as we said, you can’t here it, can’t smell it, can’t see it, but it’s deadly.”

The training went until 9 p.m. Douglass said he now feels more prepared to take on situations involving electric lines.