CROWN POINT – A problem plaguing the refrigerated trucking business has been addressed by a Crown Point entrepreneur.

Russ Edwards of Coolway Refrigeration took on the safety issue of truck driver pulling their cabs away from the trailer without unplugging the electrical power source. Edwards created the patent-approved Electrical Power Interruption Control (EPIC) device.

So far, Edwards has installed 300 of the devices in the Chicago area. In the event the driver fails to disconnect the electric power source, the device will unplug automatically without damaging the device or the cord.

Because the device can be easily reconnected, EPIC reduces operating and installation costs by 90 percent. The cost of an EPIC device is less than $200, compared to repairs on the electrical power source of $1,000 or more.

Edwards builds his own devices with UL approved parts and standard switches.

As a result of the invention, Edward has been named Innovator of the Month by the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana. He was nominated by Ursula Saqui.