Our Daily Show Interview! Summer Electric Safety Tips With Ameren IL
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RIVERBEND - As summer continues, an Ameren Illinois representative is providing some basic electric safety tips to help community members stay safe.
Whether you’re flying drones over power lines or using your phone in the pool, there are a few ways to avoid a potentially dangerous or even fatal situation. Brian Bretsch with Ameren Illinois encourages community members to have a conversation with their kids about these topics at any point in the year, but especially in the summer when kids are more likely to be outside and around electricity.
“It’s always a good time to talk to your kids about some electric safety tips,” Bretsch said. “We’re just asking parents to err on the side of caution and just have that conversation.”
As drones become more popular, Bretsch urges caregivers to talk to their children about what to do if a drone becomes entangled in power lines or falls into a substation. He acknowledges that many kids would rather handle the situation by themselves, but this can be dangerous if electricity is involved.
Instead, caregivers should tell their kids to come to them so the adult can call Ameren. Ameren professionals will come and safely retrieve the drone.
“Drones can have a mind of their own,” Bretsch explained. “Kids sometimes don’t want to tell their parents that they lost something, so they want to take it upon themselves to go out and retrieve that drone. But if it’s entangled in the power line, we want you as a parent to tell the child to come back and tell you as the parent that hey, I’ve lost it, it’s in the substation or it’s in the power line. The parent can call us at 1-800-755-5000 and a trained professional lineman or substation electrician can go in and retrieve that device.”
In fact, Bretsch encourages caregivers to have a general conversation about power lines with their children. He took his own kids into the backyard and pointed to the pole and asked them to tell him which lines were cable, phone and power. The average person doesn’t know the difference, so Bretsch suggests treating them as if all lines are electrified, just to be safe.
He emphasized that you should never climb a pole or hop the fence into a substation. Additionally, if you have trees around power lines, avoid climbing the trees.
With the recent hot weather, many people are enjoying time in the pool. Bretsch reminds community members to be careful around electricity and water. Don’t pull your phone from its charger when you’re in the pool, and thoroughly dry off before touching any electrical devices. Not only can you shock yourself, but you also run the risk of shocking everyone who is in the water with you.
Ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets are becoming increasingly standardized in areas where there is water, like bathrooms, kitchens and backyards near pools. These devices will shut down the electricity to that outlet if they detect water. You can buy portable GFCI devices, which are especially useful when planning a pool day or outing on a boat.
“It is noticing that there is water and there could be a potential issue with that water, because water and electricity do not mix,” Bretsch explained. “It immediately shuts that outlet out so there will not be any issues.”
Bretsch ultimately encourages people to have conversations with their kids about electric safety year-round, but especially during times when kids are more likely to be around electricity. He encourages community members to take precautions and stay safe.
For more information about Ameren Illinois and their safety tips, check out their official website at Ameren.com/Illinois.
