The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Submitted by Manitoba Hydro This spring, remember to always fly a kite in an open area, far away from overhead power lines. A kite string can become a deadly conductor of electric current if it touches a power line. If your kite does accidentally fly into a line, let go immediately. Since water and metal are great conductors of electricity, be sure to use dry string and not wire as a kite string. Metallic balloons, model airplanes and the stream of water from a water gun can also conduct electricity, so be sure to keep these well away from power lines. If a kite becomes stuck in a tree that is near a power line, do not try to get it down yourself Ð call Manitoba Hydro at 1-888-MB HYDRO. Never fly a kite in an electrical storm. There is no need to rediscover electricity! Talk to your children about the very real danger of making contact with a power line. * * * Electric power lines, natural gas pipelines, communications lines, and other utility services could be within a few feet of the ground's surface. If you plan on digging into and/or moving any soil on your property, a simple phone call can prevent damage. Digging into an underground electric line can cause power outages and personal injury from shock or electrocution. A damaged gas pipeline or service to a house can create an explosion hazard that potentially endangers people and property. Landscapers, professional excavators, and homeowners are reminded that digging holes for trees and plants is a form of excavating. If you or your contractors are using a machine to remove your driveway or sidewalk, you are changing the existing soil level and should call before you dig. Even small jobs like installing sprinklers or building fences and decks usually involve digging holes for posts. Call Manitoba Hydro to make sure that it is safe to dig. One call for our free service can prevent service outages, equipment damage and costly repairs, as well as environmental pollution, and serious personal injury. Call 1-888-MB HYDRO. Please call at least 48 business hours before you plan to dig, and even earlier, if possible, during the busy construction season. Remember to also call other utilities like your local telephone and cable companies.
