Hot Watts February 2020

Published monthly by Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc.

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FEBRUARY 2020

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WATTS

Four ways to keep your home safe this winter —page 2

WATTS INSIDE | YOUTH TOUR CONTEST & SCHOLARSHIP REMINDERS; WIN A $50 ENERGY CREDIT AND MORE!

www.cooksonhills.com | 1

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. Headquarters Office PO Box 539 • 1002 E. Main Stigler, OK 74462 800-328-2368 Branch Office PO Box 587 • 1800 KOA/Power Drive Sallisaw, OK 74955 918-775-2211 Pay-by-Phone: 1-888-678-1937 www.cooksonhills.com Alternate Emergency Only: 918-552-0016

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Kenneth Kelley, President Joe Ogle, Vice President Theron Croisant, Sec-Treas Rocky Woods, Sr., Trustee John Dillard, Trustee Dart Drummonds, Trustee Ronnie Pevehouse, Trustee

District 5 District 6 District 2 District 1 District 3 District 4 District 7

STAFF Juli Orme, General Manager Chris Morris, Chief Financial Officer Jason Fontaine, Director of Engineering Mark Blaylock, Director of Operations Eric Johnson, Director of Operations—Sallisaw Ellen Mattison, Manager of Accounting Services Kristie Cash, Manager of Office Services

Four Tips for Winter Safety

By Abby Berry

It’s no surprise that winter months bring increased potential for fire risks and electrical safety hazards. This makes sense because during the coldest months, consumers are using additional electrical devices and appliances, like space heaters, electric blankets and portable generators.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that 47,700 home fires occur each year in the U.S. due to electrical failure or malfunction.

These fires result in 418 deaths, 1,570 injuries and $1.4 billion in property damage annually. This winter, safeguard your loved ones and your home with these electrical safety tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation International.

1. Don’t overload outlets.

Overloaded outlets are a major cause of residential fires. Avoid using extension cords or multi-outlet converters for appliance connections–– they should be plugged directly into a wall outlet. If you’re relying heavily on extension cords in general, you may need additional outlets to

Russell V. Barber, General Counsel Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. welcomes members to submit photos, and articles which will be subject to editing. Cookson Hills reserves the right to publish or modify any article.

Companies and individuals featured in the Hot Watts newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or view of Cookson Hills.

bit.ly/CHEConFB (case-sensitive)

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

If you find your account number hidden in this issue of the Hot Watts, you’ll receive a $25 credit on your electric bill.

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APPLICATIONS DUE FEB. 14 WWW.COOKSONHILLS.COM

address your needs. Contact a qualified electrician to inspect your home and add new outlets. [1430304] 2. Never leave space heaters unattended.

If you’re using a space heater, turn if off before leaving the room. Make sure heaters are placed at least three feet away from flammable items. It should also be noted that space heaters take a toll on your energy bills. If you’re using them throughout your home, it may be time to upgrade your home heating system.

3. Inspect heating pads and electric blankets.

These items cause nearly 500 fires every year.

Electric blankets that are more than 10 years old create additional risks for a fire hazard. Inspect your electric blankets and heating

pads – look for dark, charred or frayed spots, and make sure the electrical cord is not damaged. Do not place any items on top of a heating pad or electric blanket, and never fold them when in use.

4. Use portable generators safely.

Unfortunately, winter storms can cause prolonged power outages, which means many consumers will use portable generators to power their homes.

Never connect a standby generator into your home’s electrical system. For portable generators, plug appliances directly into the outlet provided on the generator. Start the generator first, before you plug in appliances.

Run it in a well-ventilated area outside your home.

The carbon monoxide it generates is deadly, so keep it away from your garage, doors, windows and vents.

Abby Berry writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation’s landscape.

Don’t miss out on the CHEC scholarship opportunity for those pursuing post-secondary education!

Applications due by March 13 Visit www.cooksonhills.com for more info www.cooksonhills.com | 3

Energy Efficiency

Tip of the Month Are you using your fireplace efficiently?

Remember to turn down the thermostat when burning a fire, and close the damper when a fire is not burning.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy

Manage your CHEC account from wherever you are with the free SmartHub mobile app

4 | February 2020

You could win a $50 energy credit Stay on track this year by signing up for automatic bank draft, and you could win a $50 energy credit!

Those on automatic bank draft see a deduction each month on their electric bill’s due date. Once enrolled, no action is necessary on your part unless you need to update your banking information.

The best part? You can enroll right from your smartphone via the SmartHub mobile app or our website (bit.ly/CHECbankdraft, case-sensitive).

Scan the bar code below with your smartphone’s camera to download the app and explore all the account management tools offered on it.

Those who qualify and enroll in automatic bank draft throughtout the month of February will be entered into the $50 energy credit drawing.

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KSO N COO HILLS E L PER ATIV ECTRIC E

Summer rates will begin with March usage and will run through November usage.

Visit www.cooksonhills.com for energy efficiency tips and ways to save.

Scan this code with your smartphone’s camera to enroll in automatic bank draft, pay securely, monitor consumption, manage email alerts, update account information, view payment history and more on CHEC’s mobile app!