Safety

It’s important to stay safe when electricity is involved. Here are some of the ways you should exercise caution when working or playing outdoors.

Stay Away from Overhead Wires Carry ladders and long-handled tools parallel to the ground to avoid coming in contact with power lines. Don’t place ladders or install antennas where they might fall into a power line. Don’t try to trim trees that have wires running through them; have a professional do it.
	Steer Clear of Downed Power Lines Call us immediately if you come across a downed power line. Do not go near it. Call us at once if someone is touching a utility wire, so that the power can be turned off. Never attempt to move a victim or the power line. Stay in your car if a wire falls on it. If the car catches fire, jump clear, without touching the car and the ground at the same time.
Play Safely Never fly kites or model airplanes near power lines. Call us to untangle kites or balloons that get caught in overhead wires. Don’t try to do it yourself. Don’t release metallic balloons—they can get caught in power lines and cause outages. Don’t climb or build a tree house in a tree with power lines running through it.
	Avoid Substations and Transformers Teach children to recognize danger signs displayed on all high-voltage equipment. Do not allow children to play around substations or other ground-based electrical equipment. Call the us if you see signs of vandalism to electrical equipment or if fences or other safeguards are damaged.
Landscape with Care Plant shrubs or low-growing trees under power lines. Trees that grow taller can interfere with our reliable service. Keep bushy shrubs away from your meter. Call Before You Dig. Before you begin a project, no matter how small, contact Call Before You Dig to make sure that you dig safely and avoid power lines. Call 811 or 1-800-922-4455 or go the website.