As Valentine’s Day approaches, FirstEnergy Corp. is reminding customers to make sure helium-filled foil balloons on gifts don’t end up in power lines and cause outages.
Foil balloons can cause power outages when released outdoors because their metallic coating conducts electricity and poses a risk to the electric system, the company said.
February typically marks the onset of an increase in outages caused by metallic balloons, as they float off Valentine’s Day gifts. Last year, foil balloons were to blame for 109 power outages across FirstEnergy’s service area, including 22 outages that affected Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) customers, the company said.
“While our community outreach has helped reduce balloon-related outages from previous years, people of all ages can help keep the lights on in our local communities by understanding the steps to take to eliminate the dangers posed by foil balloons,” said Lisa Rouse, Director of Distribution System Operations at FirstEnergy.
First Energy offers the following safety tips to help ensure holidays and celebrations are enjoyed responsibly:
- Avoid celebrating with metallic balloons near overhead electric lines.
- Securely tie helium-filled metallic balloons to a weight that is heavy enough to prevent them from floating away. Do not remove the weight until the balloons are deflated.
- Puncture and deflate metallic balloons once they are no longer in use. Never release them into the sky.
- Never attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite or toy that becomes caught in a power line. Call the power company immediately.
- Stay far away from a downed or low-hanging power line. Always assume downed lines are energized and dangerous. Report them ASAP by calling 911.