For More Information Contact:
Lance Robertson, 984-4716 or 954-7509 (cell)
Eugene Water & Electric Board

Electric utility officials are warning consumers about the dangers of using fireworks under or around power lines this Fourth of July.

In particular, EWEB is concerned about a new type of fireworks that shoots Mylar streamers into the air. This type of fireworks was blamed for five outages over the Independence Day holiday in 2002 that cut power to about 2,400 EWEB customers. The outages occurred when the streamers came into contact with overhead power lines, shorting out fuses or causing breakers to trip electricity at substations.

The streamers can be a safety hazard because the streamers have a substance that is a conductor of electricity. EWEB is concerned about the possibility of someone touching the streamers that become tangled in overhead power lines, causing severe shock or electrocution. The streamers can hang 20 or more feet below power lines, long enough to touch the ground or be grabbed by someone standing on the ground.

The potential for shock is high enough that "someone could get seriously hurt, or possibly killed," according to Dave Koski, EWEB's Electric Operations Supervisor.

EWEB has asked residents to not use the confetti device around power lines, and if they see some of the red, white and blue streamers dangling from lines, to call EWEB at 484-2411.

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