SALT LAKE CITY – Metallic balloons and streamers are popular at parties and parades this time of year. Businesses also use them to attract customers. They are bright and showy but they can be dangerous as well. Rocky Mountain Power reminds people that metallic balloons and streamers can be hazardous around power lines and other electrical equipment and to use caution when handling them.

The danger exists when these balloons and streamers escape and end up touching a power line, transformer or substation equipment. When making contact or becoming entangled with power lines, even the slightest amount of metal found in these items can conduct electricity. That contact can damage power lines and equipment and cause power outages to residents and businesses in the area. It also can cause power fluctuations that can damage appliances.

Metallic balloons and streamers that come in contact with power lines also can cause serious injury to anyone holding onto them or attached strings, or to any persons who attempt to retrieve them.

"We want to make sure everyone knows the importance of keeping metallic streamers and balloons and all objects away from electrical lines," said Mike Felice, Rocky Mountain Power safety director. "Keeping these objects away from power lines is extremely important for personal safety as well as electrical reliability."

Rocky Mountain Power reminds the public that the following precautions help minimize the potential dangers of metallic streamers and balloons:

· Never allow metallic streamers or balloons to come in contact with overhead power lines or other electrical equipment.
· Never intentionally release balloons outdoors.
· Supervise children who have received balloons as a gift.
· If balloons are used outside, attach a weight to balloon strings so they cannot float away.
· Be sure the string for each balloon is securely attached and short enough to control the balloon’s direction.
· Deflate balloons after the holiday or occasion and keep as a memento or dispose of properly. (Birds and squirrels have been known to carry balloon remnants onto lines).
· If you notice a metallic balloon near a power line, do not try to retrieve it. Report it to Rocky Mountain Power by calling toll free at 1-888-221-7070.

In addition to personal use of balloons, businesses often use large balloons to attract customers to storefronts and showrooms. Rocky Mountain Power urges businesses using balloons as promotional devices to be aware of the hazards balloons pose and to use extreme caution when placing strings of balloons high into the air. Make sure balloons are securely tethered to a stationary object; keep strings short enough to control the direction of the balloons in case of wind; and always locate balloons away from power lines.

For more electrical safety information or free safety materials, visit  www.rockymountainpower.net or call toll free at 1-800-375-7085.


Media inquiries: 800-775-7950; newsdesk@pacificorp.com