Hoping to improve customer understanding of electrical safety and prevent serious accidents, Central Vermont Public Service today announced a new safety campaign of advertisements and outreach efforts to protect Vermonters from inherent dangers.
The campaign includes a year-long series of newspaper advertisements throughout CVPS’s service territory, a new “Safety Corner” in each monthly customer newsletter, updated safety information at www.cvps.com/safety, and an increase in public presentations on electrical safety. Each of the elements complements the others, with similar information.
“We focus on electrical safety with our employees every day, but several recent storms have highlighted the need to do more to educate the public,” spokesman Steve Costello said. “We’ve had some serious storms in recent years, and though we and our customers have made it through the recovery process safely, we have become increasingly concerned. One misstep can irrevocably change or end a life.”
Since April 2007, CVPS has faced three of the most damaging storms in company history, the so-called nor’icane in 2007, a major ice storm in 2008 and a one-two punch of heavy snow and high winds in February. Those storms, and last week’s thunderstorms, brought major damage and several close calls.
Downed wires present the most obvious risks, but flooded electrical equipment and improper generator use can also lead to serious accidents, according to CVPS Safety Manager Ed McGowan. “People should use extreme caution during any power outages,” he said. “Some dangers may be obvious, but other dangers, though less apparent, pose equally serious risks.”
CVPS urged parents and teachers to discuss electrical safety issues with their children and students. Adults should also discuss electrical safety when major storms prompt power outages.
“In the February storm, crews repeatedly discovered downed wires that had been rolled up and placed by the side of the road,” Costello said. “It was a day or two after the storm hit, so people probably figured the lines were safe, but there is no such thing as a safe line when it’s on the ground. There is no way to know if a downed wire is electrified, so someone literally gambled with their life to roll up that wire.”
Over the course of the next 12 months, the campaign will focus on a variety of electrical safety issues, including seasonal risks such as summer thunderstorms and holiday lighting. McGowan, who oversees safety for CVPS employees and contractors and has conducted hundreds of training programs for local fire, police and rescue units, urged all Vermonters to be vigilant when power outages occur.
CVPS offered the following safety tips for any storm or outage situation:
Don’t touch or even go near downed wires! If a line is blocking the road or in contact with a vehicle with people inside, call your local police or fire emergency number first. Then call CVPS. Instruct others to keep at least 50 feet away, and keep pets and livestock away as well.
Assume all objects touching a power line are energized. Never attempt to remove trees or limbs from any utility lines!
If using a generator, read the owner’s manual every time before starting it. Never operate a generator inside or near a structure. Use a transfer switch to ensure electricity is not fed onto a line where line crews must work.
If an electrical service panel, appliances or other equipment gets wet, have a qualified electrician inspect them before use.
If your basement floods, turn off the power IF YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY. Never attempt to turn off your power, open circuit breakers, remove fuses or operate switches while standing in water. Don’t turn the power back on until the basement is dry.
Don’t rely on fishing waders, rubber boots or household rubber gloves as insulation. They do not provide sufficient insulation to protect you from electric shock.
For more safety information, visit www.cvps.com/safety.
Source: CVPS. 6.3.2010