Teach children about safety OFFICE LOCATIONS Jackson Office 1307 College Avenue P.O. Box 398 Jackson, AL 36545 251-246-9081 Chatom Office P.O. Box 143 Chatom, AL 36518 251-847-2302 Toll Free Number 1-800-323-9081 Office Hours 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday - Friday (Drive-thru Hours) Pay your bill online at www.cwemc.com Payment Methods Payments can be made at our Chatom and Jackson offices with cash, checks, debit or credit cards
Stan Wilson Manager of Clarke-Washington EMC
4 MAY 2017
Safety is of the utmost importance to us here at CWEMC. We strive to be as safe as possible to make sure our members, the general public and our employees are protected. As part of our ongoing safety practices, we are currently working on our Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP). RESAP is a set of safety standards for electric cooperatives that we review every three years to promote and ensure public safety and the safety of our employees. We also conduct comprehensive monthly safety training that includes pole top rescue and bucket truck rescue. This month is National Electric Safety Month and so I thought I would talk to you about the importance of being safe around electricity and some things you can do to keep yourself and your family protected.
the wrong thing to do. If you are involved in an automobile accident with a power pole: • Stay in the car. Call 911 to have us or the appropriate utility notified. • Do not leave the vehicle until we or other utility professionals have de-energized the line and advise you that it is safe to get out. • If you must get out of the vehicle because it is on fire, jump clear of it with your feet together and without touching the vehicle and ground at the same time.
The first thing that comes to mind this time of year is yard work. A lot of our lawn and garden tools are electric and need an extension cord. Make sure you are using an extension cord that is rated for outside use. It is really easy for an extension cord that is used outside to become damaged by cutting it accidentally, dragging it around corners or just being damaged by the sun. Inspect your cords carefully and replace regularly; it is not a good idea to try to repair it. Never use electric power tools outside if it is raining or wet.
KNOW WHAT TO DO
We all want to keep our children and grandchildren safe, as well. They have all these electronic devices now that we didn’t have and they are always looking for an outlet to plug their chargers in. I would advise you if you have children or visiting grandchildren to install tamper resistant outlets or put those protective coverings over them. Then you can assist them in plugging their devices in. I love it when my grandchildren visit (Bailey and Brayden are our young ones) and just like all grandparents, we do everything we can to keep them safe. I know you want to protect yours too, so teach them to look up and out for power lines when they are outside playing, flying kites or climbing trees. A car accident can happen so quickly and when the car wreck involves power poles, there is an added danger. Knowing what actions to take to stay safe can make the difference between life and death. After a car wreck, it is natural for people to want to get out of the car to assess damage to themselves and their vehicle. However, when the wreck involves power poles and lines, that is exactly
Knowing what to be on the lookout for and knowing the steps to take can make all the difference in preventing accidents. Thank you.
if in an Auto Accident with Power Lines If the car you are in hits a utility pole, your vehicle and the surrounding area can become energized.
Even if you do not touch lines or equipment, you can still be killed or seriously injured.
1. Do NOT leave the car, and warn others to stay away.
2. Call 911 to have the utility notified.
3. Wait until a utility professional has told you it is safe. The only reason to exit the vehicle is
if it’s on fire. If the car is on fire, jump clear of the vehicle: with feet together, and without touching the car and the ground at the same time. Continue to hop away with your feet together as far as you can. Learn more at
www.alabamaliving.coop