Cris Larson says his wedding ring saved his life. Without the band, the Everett High School English teacher could have been electrocuted in his garage.
Instead, he’s left with a knarled gold circle around a burned finger, a reminder to be careful doing electrical chores around the house.
When his old wall heater in the garage went on the fritz, the self-described accident-prone handyman hurried to the hardware store, as guys do.
He bought a wall heater to keep things warm for the dog and to stay toasty caring for cars and doing projects.
“Instead of replacing the $15 thermostat, I went for the $250 heater,” Larson said. “I also bought a ladder.”
Perhaps he should not have been so hasty tackling an electrical project. He recently tripped on the front steps at his Everett home and got four staples in his noggin.
Three weeks ago, he fell off the roof of his two story home, attempting to fix a leak, but landed cat-lucky.
When his old heater died, Larson, 41, checked wires with his handy voltage meter. Not getting any readings, he figured the new heater didn’t work.
He didn’t bother to turn off the thermostat.
“Directions aren’t my forte,” he said “I fail a few times before I resort to a manual.”
While troubleshooting behind the unit his hand slipped onto a wire.
Whammo.
“There were fireworks,” Larson said. “Lights and sparks everywhere.”
Just like in a bad cartoon, zzzzzzzzzzzz, he couldn’t let go.
“My ring glowed red as the electricity raced around it,” Larson said. “I think it blew the fuse.”
That is probably what happened, said Travis Patterson, the business representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 191 in Everett, who has been an electrician for 23 years.
“His voltage meter could have had a low battery,” Patterson said. “Maybe it was an old meter and wasn’t picking up any current.”
A jolt of 220 volts could have killed him, Patterson said.
“Electricians don’t wear jewlery,” he said. “We don’t like to wear steel-toed boots.”
There are a couple of reasons they shun wearing metal, Patterson said. If you are shocked and wearing a necklace or ring, it could burn you because metal conducts electricity. Electricity also can arc to jewelry you are wearing and, again, you get burned.
“He’s a lucky man,” Patterson said. “More times than not, that ring is going to hurt you, not save you.”
Larson’s wife, Jill, wasn’t home during the accident. She teaches at Endeavour Elementary School in Mukilteo.
In shock, Larson said he yelled for his children, Paul, 11, and Emma, 4, to see his burned finger.
It would be swell to dramatize the value of his gold wedding band, what with marrying the love of his life 17 years ago at Trinity Episcopal Church in Everett.
But this is his third ring. He lost one waterskiing and one playing football.
He bought the third band, now mangled, a bit snug, so it wouldn’t fall off his hand.
“I’m not getting a new ring,” Larson said. “This is my battle wound.”
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
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