(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, this May is National Electrical Safety Month. The company is urging Pennsylvanians to stay safe after three deaths have recently occurred from incidents related to the Western Pennsylvania storms that occurred in April of this year. According to that same release from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, here are some electrical safety tips you can follow during this month, recommended by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and national experts:

• Always assume any downed wire is live. Stay at least 35 feet away and keep others back.
• Never touch or move a downed line — not even with non-metal objects.
• Do not drive over downed wires or through water or debris that may hide them.
• If a wire falls on your car, stay inside. Call 911 and wait for emergency responders.
• If fire forces you to exit a vehicle, jump clear with feet together and shuffle away without lifting your feet.
• Call 9-1-1 if you see someone who is in direct or indirect contact with the downed line, but do not touch the person.
• Report all downed wires to your electric utility immediately and call 9-1-1 to report safety hazards.

Safety Tips Recommended by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission:

Outdoor Electrical Safety

• Call 8-1-1 before digging to mark underground lines — it’s free and lifesaving.
• Use care with ladders and long tools near overhead lines.
• Keep kites, drones, and balloons away from utility wires.
• Never run extension cords through water or snow.

Indoor & Battery Safety

• Unplug unused appliances to reduce fire risk.
• Use child-safe outlet covers to prevent shocks.
• Use only certified lithium-ion batteries and chargers.
• Never leave charging batteries unattended or in hot areas.