Play It Safe Around Power Lines

Digging holes, climbing trees, flying kites — outdoor play often creates beautiful childhood memories. Before hitting the great outdoors, discuss electrical safety with your children.

Flying Fun

While flying kites, model airplanes, remote-control flying toys and drones, stay in large, open areas (such as parks or fields), far away from power lines. If an item gets caught in a power line, teach children to never try to retrieve it. Instead, an adult should call their electric utility for help.

General Outdoor Safety Tips

Other important safety guidelines for kids and adults include:

• Never throw objects at power lines.
• Stay far away from downed, damaged or low-hanging power lines. An adult should call 911 to report a downed or damaged line.
• Be cautious after a severe storm that caused a power outage. Downed power lines could be hidden under water, snow or storm debris. Wait to go outside until power has been restored.
• Do not climb, sit or play on pad-mounted transformers (green boxes).
• Do not climb trees that have overhead power lines near or running through them.

Poolside

When spending time by the pool, look overhead when using pool skimmers or other long objects to be sure you are not getting close to an overhead power line. If you are swimming and feel a prickly or tingling sensation, do not stay in the pool. There could be a stray electric current from a downed power line or a damaged electrical device. Also, never play in a flooded street or ditch; a downed power line could be hidden by the water and fallen debris.

Prevention is Key

Electric shock and injuries are often preventable. Empower your family with electrical safety knowledge to avoid preventable electric injuries. For more information about electrical safety, visit www.SafeElectricity.org.