Denise Burns

Electrician

City of Gainesville

Gainesville, Fla

05.2001 - 07.2025

Troubleshot and repaired equipment malfunctions to minimize downtime. I have worked as a power plant maintenance electrician for the past 24 years. My tasks consisted of all electrical repairs, from 24-volt to 13,800-volt systems. I have worked on lighting, MCCs, VFDs, PLCs, motor starters, motors, power for generators, some instrumentation and calibrations, and terminations of new processes and old processes of several different voltages.
Installed and upgraded electrical components to enhance system performance. I have been involved in the replacement of plant system batteries, repairing or replacing VFDs, replacing DCS cards, PLC cards, emergency lighting, plant lighting, upgrading motors, fire alarm systems, fire extinguisher upgrades, and performing PM on several electrical systems regularly.
Maintained electrical systems for operational efficiency in manufacturing plant.
Conducted routine inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards. My responsibilities included maintaining the fire system, which consisted of yearly PMs, yearly PMs with appropriate contractors, repairing or replacing components involving the fire alarm panels, accompanying the contractors during yearly fire extinguisher inspections and replacements, and keeping records of all visits, scheduling, issues, and repairs.
Monthly PMs of plant batteries were required, along with record keeping and upgrades of needed equipment for repairs.
Implemented preventive maintenance strategies to extend equipment lifespan.
Calibrated instruments used in the plant's electrical operations. Calibrations of some instrumentation kept up with calibrations of electrical meters and VFDs.
Completed documentation related to all work performed in accordance with company standards. Record keeping is a daily routine of jobs completed, jobs that need to be done, and insurance purposes.
Maintained and repaired existing electrical systems to maximize efficiency. Every year, the plants had an outage, which consisted of shutting down the plant for maintenance, repairs, replacement, changes, and upgrades of equipment that could not be worked on while the plant was running. There was usually over a month of as much work as we could get done during this outage.
Identified, inspected and tested electrical components to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
Trained personnel on proper use of electrical equipment in a safe manner. Whenever a new employee has questions about any equipment, sharing information is a must in this field for safety reasons, among several other reasons.
Installed wiring systems, conduits and fixtures to support new equipment.
Collaborated with maintenance teams to coordinate repairs and improvements. I have worked hand in hand with mechanics, engineers, contractors, co-workers, and supervision to get the job done. Getting the job done goes smoother with all departments helping each other.
Documented maintenance activities and repairs for regulatory compliance records. Monthly battery PM's, yearly fire inspections, monthly motor repairs, calibration of instrumentations, survey of emergency lighting, is just a small list of my priorites.
Performed preventative maintenance tasks such as cleaning motors, tightening connections, lubricating bearings and replacing fuses.
Conducted regular inspections of the plant's electrical system for potential hazards or maintenance needs.
Troubleshot malfunctioning circuits and replaced defective parts as needed.
Reviewed blueprints and schematics for new installations or modifications to existing systems. This is usually or sometimes a necessity for troubleshooting efforts.
Assisted with emergency repairs during off-hours when necessary. Working at a power plant is an extremely demanding job. Whenever the plant had an issue and needed electrical assistance and I was called, I came in. Whenever standby was required, I would usually take it. I do not mind helping out where it is needed.
Performed routine testing of newly installed equipment before placing it into operation. Whenever installing new equipment or replacing a component, it is good practice to test the equipment several times for proper operation.
Provided technical assistance to other electricians on complex projects. I have been very fortunate to have had some great co-workers, who all assisted each other with jobs. If anyone had a question, there was always someone with whom we could bounce ideas off of each other.
Constructed custom control panels according to customer specifications.
Programmed automated control systems including PLCs, HMIs and VFDs.
Followed OSHA guidelines when working with hazardous materials or around high voltage areas. OSHA is a huge part of what helps the industry stay safe. Using their practices and years of experience, paying attention to what you are doing helps everyone stay safe. We need to watch out for each other.
Ordered parts from vendors as needed for repairs or upgrades. Ordering parts is part of my job responsibilities. I kept in touch with Graybar to keep our electrical storage section stocked up before and after outages.
Diagnosed problems using test equipment such as ohmmeters, voltmeters and ammeters. All of this equipment is part of an electrician's everyday tool bag.
Connected power cables to machines and equipment following appropriate safety procedures.
Worked from ladders, scaffolds and roofs to install, maintain or repair electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures. I have worked from heights throughout my entire electrical career. I climbed the stacks, at the power plant, to repair the lighting at the mid section and top of the stacks.
Connected wires to circuit breakers, transformers, or other components.
Tested electrical systems and continuity of circuits in electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures with ohmmeters and voltmeters.
Troubleshot electrical issues using appropriate testing devices.
Placed conduit inside designated partitions, walls or other concealed areas.
Performed general electrical maintenance. The entire time I worked at the power plants, and several years prior, my job was as a maintenance electrician. There was general and in-depth maintenance involved with my jobs.
Followed NEC state and local building regulations.
Planned, laid out and installed electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures around local codes and job specifications.
Performed physically demanding tasks such as digging trenches to lay conduit and moving and lifting heavy objects.
Followed blueprints to determine the location of wiring and equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
Ensured adherence to safety practices and procedures, including wearing the necessary personal protective equipment. Part of my job requirements consisted of a hard hat, safety glasses, gloves when needed, steel toes, lock out/tag out, live/dead/live, and signing on clearances to work on equipment. I was trained by DuPont on my safety procedures. DuPont has very high expectations and a very good safety reputation that I have tried to follow throughout my life, on and off the job.
Used schematic diagrams and blueprints to determine work procedures.
Planned layout and installation of electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures, based on job specifications and local codes.
Used a variety of tools and equipment such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment.
Directed and trained workers to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures.
Performed business management duties such as maintaining records and files, preparing reports, and ordering supplies and equipment.
Installed, maintained, and repaired electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures, ensuring that work is in accordance with relevant codes.
Inspected electrical systems, equipment, and components to identify hazards, defects, and the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with codes.
Diagnosed malfunctioning systems, apparatus, and components, using test equipment to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem. This is all part of the troubleshooting paths for repairing a piece of equipment not working properly.
Responded to emergency power or system failure calls outside of normal working hours. This has been a part of my life for a long time. I will always do my part in helping out.
Tested electrical systems and continuity of circuits in electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures, using testing devices.
Isolated defective relays, performed repairs and completed adjustments by opening and closing switches.
Recorded information to document repairs, maintenance and tests performed.
Fabricated and prepared switchboards, terminal boards, barriers and insulating material for power system.
Operated, inspected and maintained building essential service systems and automation systems.
Documented and maintained inventory of equipment and purchased new parts.
Tested connectivity and signal quality for individual cables and documented results.

Summary

Overview

Work History

Electrician

Education

Electrical Construction - Electrical

Skills

References

Timeline

Electrician

Electrical Construction - Electrical

Similar Profiles

James RomeJames Rome

Sabian ThomasSabian Thomas

Artell StewartArtell Stewart

Tonya LewisTonya Lewis

John ClemonsJohn Clemons