NBU NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 30, 2004

Contact: Gretchen Reuwer, NBU Communications Manager, (830) 629-8486

May is Electric Safety Month

NEW BRAUNFELS — May is Electric Safety Month and New Braunfels Utilities and the Electric Safety Foundation International (ESFI) urge adults and children alike to remember that electricity deserves our care and respect. To help keep kids electrically safe at home and at school, the ESFI has a brochure “Oh No! Not More Rules!!” for safe dorm room living for college students, and a Home Electrical Safety Quiz poster for younger children.

“A lot of deaths, injuries and property loss can be avoided by following some simple rules,” said Michael G. Clendenin, executive director of the Foundation. “College students in particular, living on their own for the first time, typically bring with them computers, stereos, refrigerators, lamps, cell phone chargers and a host of other electrical items, all destined for the same outlet on an old electrical system.”

Some important rules to keep in mind:

Have cracked, frayed, and damaged cords and appliances repaired at certified repair centers, or clearly label them as "damaged and electrically unsafe" and discard them.
Never run power cords across traffic paths or under rugs or furniture.
Never tack or nail an electrical cord to any surface.
Never use extension cords on a continuous basis; remember that they are temporary solutions only.
Be careful not to overload power strips and surge suppressors. They don't provide more power, just more access to the same limited capacity of the circuit.
If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse or trips a circuit breaker, or if it has given you a shock, unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.
Teach kids to never fly kites near power lines and never attempt to remove items caught in an overhead line. Instead, call the NBU Dispatch at 629-4NBU to request an electric crew’s assistance in removing the item.
Halogen desk and floor lamps are fire risks; replace them with more efficient, cooler-burning fluorescent lamps.
Don't put anything into an outlet except a plug.

Other electrical safety lessons for younger children include:

Turn off electrical items before unplugging them, and unplug items by firmly grasping the plug itself, never yank the cord.
Put safety covers on all unused outlets that are accessible to children.
Make sure extension cords have safety closures to help prevent shock hazards and mouth burn injuries.
Be careful, while plugging in or unplugging, not to touch the metallic prongs with your finger or any other item you are holding.
Keep all liquids away from outlets and electrical items.
Never force a plug into an outlet if it doesn't fit.
Never let anyone stick anything but a plug into an outlet.

More information is available by sending a 60¢ stamped, self-addressed No. 10 (business size) envelope to:

Electrical Safety Foundation International
1300 North 17th Street, #1847
Rosslyn, VA 22209