PG&E Offers Tips For A Safe Independence Day

News provided by

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)

Jul 02, 2013, 04:28 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As millions of Americans celebrate Independence Day later this week, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) urges customers to take precaution. Last year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported a minimum of six fireworks-related deaths and an estimated 8,700 firework-related injuries that sent victims to the emergency room.

PG&E offers the following tips for a safe 4th of July celebration:

  • "Look Up and Live!" – Use caution and keep fireworks, balloons, kites and toys (such as high powered water guns or remote control aircraft) away from overhead electric lines. Contact with lines can lead to serious injury, fires and outages.
  • Never attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite or toy that becomes caught in a power line. Leave it alone and immediately call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 to report the problem.
  • Never go near a power line that has fallen to the ground, is dangling in the air or appears to be damaged. Always assume downed electric lines are energized and dangerous. Stay away, keep others away and immediately call 911 to alert the police and fire departments.
  • Observe local laws. Contact your local police or fire department to make sure fireworks are allowed in your area. If so, keep a bucket of water or a water hose close by.

A video and photos detailing the damage that can result from metallic balloons coming into contact with power lines can be found on PG&E's Currents website.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/ and www.pgecurrents.com.

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)

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