The Really Important Stuff

SAFETY

When you are around electricity, you cannot be too safe. It's always a good time to review a few things. We have placed a few resources here to help you.

At Southeast Colorado Power, member safety is important to us. Below is important safety information to help keep you and your family safe including power line safety, power lines and cars, and generator safety.

Power Line Safety

Downed power lines are dangerous. Never touch them. For safety’s sake, always assume that a fallen power line is live, and follow these guidelines:

Avoid touching the downed line with your hand or an object, such as a stick, broom or pole.
Avoid touching anything, such as a car, object or equipment, or anyone who is in contact with a fallen power line.
Keep children and pets away from fallen electric lines.
Avoid driving over a fallen power line.
Call 9-1-1 immediately to report a fallen power line.

Photo of a sorrel male colt at a fence with the sun beam shining on him

Power Line Hazards and Cars

If a power line falls on a car, you should stay inside the vehicle. This is the safest place to stay. Warn people not to touch the car or the line. Call or ask someone to call Southeast Colorado Power Association and emergency services.

The only circumstance in which you should consider leaving a car that is in contact with a downed power line is if the vehicle catches fire. Open the door. Do not step out of the car. You may receive a shock. Instead, jump free of the car so that your body clears the vehicle before touching the ground. Once you clear the car, shuffle at least 50 feet away, with both feet on the ground.

As in all power line related emergencies, call for help immediately by dialing 911 or call Southeast Colorado Power Association.

Do not try to help someone else from the car while you are standing on the ground.

Electrical Safety and Generators

Preventing Electrocutions Associated with Portable Generators Plugged Into Household Circuits

When power lines are down, residents can restore energy to their homes or other structures by using another power source such as a portable generator. If water has been present anywhere near electrical circuits and electrical equipment, turn off the power at the main breaker or fuse on the service panel. Do not turn the power back on until electrical equipment has been inspected by a qualified electrician.

If it is necessary to use a portable generator, manufacturer recommendations and specifications must be strictly followed. If there are any questions regarding the operation or installation of the portable generator, a qualified electrician should be immediately contacted to assist in installation and start-up activities. The generator should always be positioned outside the structure.

When using gasoline- and diesel-powered portable generators to supply power to a building, switch the main breaker or fuse on the service panel to the "off" position prior to starting the generator. This will prevent power lines from being inadvertently energized by back feed electrical energy from the generators, and help protect utility line workers or other repair workers or people in neighboring buildings from possible electrocution. If the generator is plugged into a household circuit without turning the main breaker to the “off” position or removing the main fuse, the electrical current could reverse, go back through the circuit to the outside power grid, and energize power lines or electrical systems in other buildings to at or near their original voltage without the knowledge of utility or other workers.

SAFETY DEMOS

Electricity is the safest form of energy we have available at our fingertips any time we need it. Even though electricity is the safest form of energy, we still need to treat it with respect. If used wrong electricity can be dangerous. To help your group or school class better understand electricity we have a whole list of safety programs available for your use.

We will also visit with your school or organization free of charge and share our education programs with you.

To schedule a safety demo, please contact us at
1-800-332-8634.

Collaboration

We partner with SafeElectricity.org to bring you information on staying safe around electricity. Check back for a topic of the month video and more.

Keep Pets Safe

You do all you can to keep your pets healthy: you take them to the veterinarian for checkups, feed them well and ensure they are up to date on vaccinations. After all, for many people, pets are part of the family.

Two-thirds (67 percent) of U.S. households, or about 85 million families, own at least one pet, according to the 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey. The survey was conducted by the American Pet Products Association, and the numbers are up 11 percent from 1988.

There is something else you can do for your pets, and that is to keep them safe around electricity. Southeast Colorado Power Association and Safe Electricity offer these tips:

· Puppies and other pets love to chew on electrical cords. Keep cords out of sight or hidden with a cord cover. Provide teething or play alternatives.

· Watch your pet around dangling or sagging cords, including phone or tablet charging cables. Unplug charging cables once your devices are charged. Not only do they draw a small amount of energy when not in use, but the dangling cords are just crying to be played with.

· Watch where you place lamps and other plugged-in items. Lamps can be a fire hazard if they are knocked over, especially if they have halogen bulbs.

· Do not leave your pet alone around items that get hot: curling irons and straighteners, an outdoor grill, a portable heater and other electric appliances, including cooktops.

Pet proof your home much like you would for a baby or toddler. If you suspect your pet has been shocked or burned, take it to the vet right away. Owners may not realize a pet has been shocked until a few hours later when it has trouble breathing. Other symptoms include ulcers in the mouth and lesions on the tongue and gums.

For more information about electrical safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.