Did you know? (continued)
The spike in outages in June is attributed to wayward metallic balloons that get away from graduation celebrants, many of whom are unaware of the problems the balloons can cause. Unsecured balloons can stray or float for miles before hitting high-voltage power lines, causing short circuits, damaged electrical equipment, and service interruptions.
The increase in balloon-related outages typically occurs in May around Mother’s Day, can rise again over the Memorial Day holiday, and continues through June, when many graduation ceremonies and parties are held.
SCE recommends these simple rules on metallic balloon safety:
- Do not attempt to retrieve a balloon—or any object— tangled in power lines. Instead, call and report the problem.
- Never release metallic balloons outside. Keep them indoors.
- Never attach metallic streamers to any balloon—latex or metallic.
- Do not bundle metallic balloons.
- It is unlawful to sell metallic balloons without a string weight.
- If you fill your own balloons with helium, be sure to tie them securely to a weight heavy enough to prevent them from drifting away.
- Never go near a downed or dangling wire. Keep others away, contact the police or fire department and your power compa. They will dispatch crews to safely correct the problem.
- Information on metallic balloon safety can be found at www.sce.com/metallicballoons.
About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
