PPL safety exhibit is Bloomsburg Fair bound
Visitors to the 2018 Bloomsburg Fair will once again be able to get valuable, potentially life-saving electrical safety lessons from the PPL Electric Utilities Live Line Electrical Safety Exhibit.
PPL will be doing electrical safety demonstrations throughout the week of the 163rd Bloomsburg Fair, which runs from Sept. 21 to Sept. 29 at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds in Columbia County. The PPL exhibit gives a rare, first-hand look at the sparks, flames and crackle created by electrical contact and lessons on staying safe around overhead and underground power lines.
The exhibit, which is returning for a second year, will be set up at the corner of 11th street near the Sky Ride.
“Our trained workers did demonstrations for more than 5,000 people at last year’s fair and we hope to deliver our safety message to even more at this year’s event,” said Mark Santayana, who coordinates public safety outreach for PPL Electric Utilities.
Daily demonstrations will be conducted to educate the public about important steps they can take to stay safe around overhead and underground power lines.
The exhibit replicates the conditions of a 7,200-volt electrical distribution grid. The demonstrations are done by trained PPL workers wearing protective equipment. They show the sounds, sparks and impacts that occur when items such as Mylar balloons, gloves, ladders and shovels make contact with overhead and underground power lines.
The workers also show what happens when tree branches and animals contact wires. And they provide a reminder about the importance of dialing 811 before digging in order to avoid contact with underground power lines and other utilities.
Safety exhibit demonstrations have drawn a total of nearly 6,000 people so far in 2018. Last year, PPL staff did demonstrations for more than 8,000 people.
The safety exhibit was designed and built by PPL employees and has been used for electrical safety demonstrations since 2016. It’s part of PPL’s commitment to keeping people safe and spreading its public safety message. The company also takes its safety message to schools with theatrical performances about electrical safety. It plans to deliver that message to 100,000 students over five years.
For additional safety information and tips, visit www.pplelectric.com/safety. For information on the Fair, visit www.bloomsburgfair.com.
Dear PPL,
Saw Doug Haupt and his team at the Bloomsburg fair.
Didn’t know what to expect, but saw the crow and squirrel and the ladder on the wires. (Didn’t know about the shovel till latter.) Just stood and looked at the exhibit. Doug came over to talk to me. And let me bend his ear about my experience about high tension wires falling on top of Blue Hill in Danville, in the late 60″s. The wires didn’t fall in the water but on top of the mountain. My buddy and I were just swimming in the river. And I have always wondered what would have happened to us had the wires fallen in the river, while we were swimming in it. Doug was so nice to talk to me. I have been to the Bloomsburg Fair many times over my 64 years, But the presentation by PPl about fallen wires was the best presentation I have ever heard. And the big bang of a fuse blowing up answered many questions about the big bang when a fuse blows up and not a transformer. Also a big surprise to the crowd. Again I have to say that this was the best thing that could have been presented to a crowd of people that don’t know what to do about a downed wire. Even if the car is on fire. Doug and his team did an excellent job. Those guys that go to the top wire have my admiration. Again I just want to say how good of a job Doug and his team did in presenting the dangers of electric wires. Above ground (with ladders and below ground with a shove.) It’s hard to thank guys that do such a dangerous job every day. The only thanks I can give is to let you know that every time I drive by a PPL truck on the highway I slow down, and drive by slow. Because there is no-way that I would go up to that wire and risk my life. They know their job and do it. Even in the winter when It is cold and snowy. PPL does a great job to getting us power in the winter. Again I don’t know how those linemen do it. But they do. thanks again to PPL for a great job.