Electric News Releases - 1999

May 26, 1999

Virginia Power Stresses Spring, Summer Safety

RICHMOND, Va. -- Warm weather. Easy living. Baseball. Soccer. Swimming. Hours and hours of daylight. Not a care in the world. Except for safety.

To keep the warm weather months safe as well as fun, Virginia Power urges everyone to be aware of and stay away from overhead electric wires and underground electric cables when filling their leisure time with fun activities.

"This is the time of year for good weather and more daylight hours, both reasons why we're all playing or working outside," said Tom Hyman, vice president & general manager-Distribution. "But enjoying the spring and summer doesn't mean that we can forget about outdoor electrical safety. We take electrical safety very seriously. We want our customers and their families to do so, too."

Virginia Power, which gives hundreds of presentations on electrical safety to elementary schoolchildren each year, will begin this year a special emphasis on electrical safety for older youths. Their risk acceptance level is different and some of their outdoor activities – such as challenging each other to go into an electrical substation or climb a transmission tower – are unsafe and can be dangerous.

Children need to be reminded by parents, caregivers and all adults that power lines and electrical equipment carry not only electricity, but a great danger. Warning signs are not to be misinterpreted as challenges to courage or maturity.

Other electrical safety reminders include:

• Stay clear of electric substations, power lines that run through trees and any power lines lying on the ground.
• If using pool skimmers, look up and around to make sure skimmers will be at least 10 feet from all power lines.
• If cleaning gutters, make sure that the work is far away from power lines.
• When watering flowers and shrubs, make sure the water stream does not come into contact with power lines.
• Fly kites and cast fishing lines away from power lines.
• Keep hair dryers, radios and any other personal electric equipment away from tubs or sinks where it might fall in. Such contact can cause injury or even death.

"If every adult will instruct the children for whom they are responsible in these very basic, simple safety tips, we can all have a happy and safe summer," said Hyman.

Virginia Power is the principal subsidiary of Dominion Resources Inc., (NYSE: D), an international energy company with headquarters in Richmond.

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