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FEBRUARY 2020

Protect your home and your family with electrical safety

COVER STORY

Protect your home and your family with these electrical safety tips

Electricity powers our lives. It keeps our lights on, our homes warm and our schools, hospitals and businesses running. But, if you forget to take the necessary precautions, electricity can also be dangerous. In fact, every year in the U.S. electrical fires account for nearly $1.3 billion in property damage.

Here are a few simple things you can do to protect your homes and your families from the dangers of electricity:

  • Prevent electrical overloads by plugging major appliances directly into wall outlets. Never use extension cords or power strips for appliances.
  • Don’t overload extension cords. Avoid plugging them into one another, make sure you’re using cords that are properly rated for their intended use, and don’t run them through walls, doorways, ceilings or floors.
  • Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly at all times.

Power lines that run into your home offer safety challenges as well. Follow these tips to prevent injuries or worse:

  • Never climb or disrupt any utility pole or tower, and steer clear of transformers, substations or any other utility equipment in your community.
  • If you come across a downed power line following an accident or storm, stay far away and call 1-800-DIAL-PPL. We’ll take care of it.
  • Underground power lines pose unique hazards. Before you dig in your yard, call 8-1-1 to make sure you’re in the clear. It’s the law.

We care about your safety and the safety of your loved ones. Stay vigilant around electricity and keep alert at all times. For more safety tips or information, visit the Electrical Safety Foundation International at esfi.org or check out pplelectric.com.

Pictured above: PPL’s Live Line Electrical Safety Exhibit, which travels our territory to teach first responders, contractors, businesses, students and the public how to stay safe around electricity.

Ask Meg

Question
I’m an elementary school teacher, and I talk about safety with my students on a regular basis. Does PPL offer any electrical safety resources for schools or children?

Answer
As a matter of fact, we do. PPL Electric Utilities developed a cool, illustrated children’s book called “How We Stay Safe Near Electricity.” Our book is available free for fourth-grade students in schools throughout our 29-county service territory. Teachers may order the books in batches of 25. To check out a PDF of the book or place an order, visit the “Safety & Community" of pplelectric.com.

Meg in a PPL Electric Utilities hat and jacket

Save energy and money. Visit savewithppl.com.

Bright Lights - Honoring the people who brighten our world

Nominate a Bright Light in your community today

This year, we’re marking a century of people powering life. To celebrate our centennial, we’re honoring the people who work to transform lives in our communities. These are the bright lights powering progress and making a difference.

In 2020, the PPL Foundation will award $100,000 in grants to nonprofits in honor of those Bright Lights who are leading the charge to create a better world.

We need your help to identify the brightest lights in our community.

Any customer can nominate an employee of any nonprofit agency working to improve education and make our communities more sustainable. The employee and agency must be located within the 29 Pennsylvania counties served by PPL Electric Utilities. The deadline for nominations is April 30, 2020.

For more details and to submit a nomination, visit pplweb.com/brightlights.

Shrink your electric bill

If you’re struggling to pay your electric bill, you may qualify for lower, more affordable payments through our OnTrack program.9

Don’t wait. The sooner you apply, the quicker you could start saving. It only takes a few minutes. Apply today at pplelectric.com/ontrack.

Shrink your electric bill

Stay warm, safely

Many of us use electric space heaters to supplement heat and keep us warm. Space heaters can be effective, but they can also be dangerous.

Did you know that about 6,000 Americans each year visit an emergency room for burns associated with space heaters?*

When you're using an electric space heater to warm up your home, office or business, follow these tips to stay out of harm’s way:

  • Only buy newer models with current safety features.
  • Make sure the product has an Underwriter’s Laboratory(UL) label.
  • Position the heater on a level surface away from foot traffic.
  • Always keep children and pets away from space heaters.
  • Plug all electric space heaters directly into wall outlets.
  • Avoid using extension cords with space heaters. If you need to use an extension cord, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Buy a space heater with a tip-over safety switch.

    • * Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Shrink your electric bill

Safety is a family affair

Each year, we ask our employees to have their children draw pictures of what safety means to them. Here is one of our favorites from 2019. Have your children join in the fun! Share your drawings with us on Twitter @PPLElectric.

Have a suggestion for a newsletter? Email us at connect@pplweb.com.