ATLANTA, Oct. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oct. 9th through the 13th
is National Fire Prevention Week – a time to spotlight ways to
prevent in-home fires and develop an escape plan should a fire
occur. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, in-home
electrical issues are the third leading cause of home fires
nationwide, with more than 50,000 fires attributed to electrical
issues each year.
Georgia Power offers the following electrical safety tips during
National Fire Prevention Week and year-round:
- Focus on Fire Prevention – Avoid storing combustibles
such as paint, cardboard, sawdust and flammable liquids near
electrical equipment or fuse boxes.
- Overloads – Overloaded equipment and circuits can cause
insulation to burn, create sparks and leave exposed wires. Don't
overload electrical equipment by attempting to do heavier jobs than
the equipment can handle.
-
- Check out Georgia Power's new public service announcement,
available in both English and Spanish, highlighting the common
electrical dangers customers face in their homes.
- Repair Equipment – Shut off all electrical equipment
that produces odd sounds, odd smells or sparks and have it checked
by a qualified technician. Tag and remove hard-wired equipment from
service so that it cannot be accidentally energized while it is
being repaired or replaced.
- Extinguishers - Know where the nearest fire
extinguishers are and how to use them. Only Class C extinguishers
are safe to use on energized electrical equipment.
Safety is a core value for Georgia Power with the company's
signature community electrical safety program, PowerTOWN, marking
its 25th anniversary this year. The safety education
program, which has engaged nearly 4.6 million participants in
presentations statewide, uses a model to demonstrate real-life
safety scenarios, involving electricity, such as downed powerlines
and more.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest
electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's
premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and
Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5
million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to
delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates
below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse,
innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural
gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind.
Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its
customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by
J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer
satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and
connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower),
Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram
(Instagram.com/ga_power).
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SOURCE Georgia Power