State Fair of West Virginia Visitors Can Learn Important Electrical Safety Tips at Live Demo

Mon Power will hold demonstrations on how to stay safe around electrical equipment

FAIRMONT, W.Va., Aug. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) electric company Mon Power is bringing its live wire electrical safety trailer to the upcoming State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg, where it will use the trailer's 7,200-kilovolt power lines to offer highly visual demonstrations on the power of electricity, how to recognize dangerous conditions and, most important, how to stay safe around power lines and electrical equipment.

The trailer and an information booth will be on the fairgrounds at 947 Maplewood Ave., from Aug. 12-16, with demonstrations taking place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day.

Jim Myers, Vice President of First Energy's West Virginia Operations: "Safety is a core value for our company, and this is a great opportunity at one of the state's largest events to educate people of all ages and backgrounds about how to stay safe and avoid accidental contact with power lines and electrical equipment."

The trailer includes much of the electrical equipment seen in neighborhoods: power lines, transformers, equipment taking overhead power into underground systems and sample homes receiving both overhead and underground service. Powered by a generator, the trailer allows Mon Power crews to show observers in a controlled environment the importance of staying safe and aware of live wires.

Trained Mon Power facilitators will depict some of the most common causes of power outages, such as animals contacting equipment or tree branches falling on lines, as well as the hazards first responders face when approaching vehicles that may be in contact with live wires.

The crews will also highlight the importance of avoiding contact with electrical lines when using common household objects such as ladders, kite strings and shovels. Crews will simulate contact between objects and the trailer's power lines, causing bright and startling electrical arcs that demonstrate the dangerous power of electricity.

Safety trailer demonstrations are just one component of FirstEnergy's "Stop. Look. Live." corporate safety campaign to help educate the public and keep people safe from live wires and other electrical hazards. For more safety tips, including videos, please visit FirstEnergy's public safety website.

The state's largest multi-day event, the State Fair of West Virginia drew 185,000 attendees last year and is celebrating its 99^th year in 2024. For more information, visit statefairofwv.com.

Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at mon-power.com, on X, formerly known as Twitter, @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at facebook.com/MonPowerWV. 

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.