Keeping Safe Around Live Wires

10/5/2012 (Updated 7:02:01 PM)

(Source: Kate Thornton)

Friday morning, NYSEG hosted 20 front line supervisors from the Broome County Sheriff's Department to their training facility in Johnson City for a "live line" presentation.

The supervisors learned how to handle multiple live wire situations by watching several simulations like down wires on cars, trees, and metal fences.

"A lot of times police, firemen, they're the first ones on the scene of a motor vehicle accident, tree down, wires down, said Chief Lineman for NYSEG Thomas Totan.  "We are just letting them know what is safe and what's not."

An important lesson the NYSEG crew wanted everyone to take away is that anything can be a hazard when it comes into contact with live wires.

Totan recalled an instance when balloons were launched at NYSEG Stadium on an opening night of the B-Mets.  "The balloons went right up into the power lines and knocked all the lights outs," said Totan.

Manager of Corporate Communications for NYSEG Clayton Ellis stressed the importance of learning about electrical safety. 

"We want them to have the knowledge when they're going into an emergency situation to help keep themselves safe and also help keep the public safe," said Ellis.

Ellis also wanted the public to know that it's important to keep an eye on live wires around your home while you do household chores.

"They may be cleaning out gutters and they have an aluminum ladder to the gutters to clean them out.  They need to be careful.  They need to watch where their power lines come into the house because if you make contact with one of those, it could be an extremely dangerous and deadly situation," said Ellis.