LADWP Urges Caution and Safety in Handling Mylar Balloons Over 14,000 Customers Impacted

MEDIA ALERT
June 22, 2007

LADWP Urges Caution and Safety in Handling Mylar Balloons

LOS ANGELES — The release of Mylar (metallic) balloons associated with various graduation-related celebrations across the City caused power outages affecting 14,000 LADWP customers in the past week, prompting DWP officials to ask for the media’s help in raising awareness of the dangers and significant inconvenience posed by Mylar balloons and oversized latex balloons when they are released.

Power outages occurred in Hollywood, Lincoln Heights, Winnetka and South Los Angeles, as well as the Topanga Plaza Mall and its surrounding neighborhood in the past seven days. While LADWP crews typically can restore most customers affected by these outages relatively quickly, Balloon caused outages can cause power lines to fall and pose a significant threat to public safety. In one incident last weekend, a power line struck by a Mylar balloon fell on top of a car occupied by two people, thankfully, the occupants were unharmed, but they could have been electrocuted if they had made contact with the outside of the car when exiting the vehicle. In addition, balloon-caused outages often lead to traffic tie-ups since power outages can disrupt traffic signals, and cause a significant inconvenience for residents and business owners who lose power.

Each year, thousands of homes and businesses are impacted by stray Mylar and oversized balloons causing power disruptions. Careless handling of these balloons can cause injury, including to utility employees working on equipment. Just one balloon can cause a short circuit, which may melt an electrical wire and cause it to fall.

LADWP General Manager Ron Deaton, stated “With graduations, Fourth of July and other celebrations ongoing, let’s remind people to hold onto their shiny metallic and oversized balloons. Otherwise, there is a serious risk of power outages when these balloons drift away and become entangled in power lines.”

To reduce the risk of these incidents, LADWP offers the following safety tips:

• Always attach a weight to metallic balloons

• Never release a metallic balloon outdoors

• Keep metallic balloons away from power lines

• Never use metallic ribbon with metallic balloons

• Always deflate metallic balloons and dispose of them properly when no longer in use

• Never release large/oversized latex balloons or large bunches of latex balloons. They can strike power lines when released or when they fall back to the ground

Florists and other merchants should always make certain that metallic balloons are properly weighted, and should remind their customers not to release them outdoors.

California law (California Penal Code Chapter 1559 Section 653.1) restricts the use of metallic balloons and metallic ribbon. In essence, the law states the metallic balloon must be weighted down separately so it does not travel up into the power lines. The law also prohibits metallic ribbon from being attached to helium-filled balloons.

Another word of caution: Always assume power lines are energized. Always keep yourself, your equipment and all other items, at least 10 feet away from power lines. If a balloon or any object becomes entangled in an overhead power line, don’t climb the pole or make any other attempt to retrieve the object. If a power line falls on the car while you are driving or riding as a passenger, stay inside of your vehicle, call 911 if you can and wait for help to arrive before exiting. Do not open the door and do not exit the vehicle. Wait for help to arrive.

The largest municipally owned utility in the nation, the LADWP was established more than 100 years ago to provide water and electricity to meet the needs of the City’s residents and businesses. LADWP currently serves more than 4 million people in the City of Los Angeles.

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LADWP,

Kim Hughes, (213) 367-4417,
cell (213) 792-5521,
Kimberley.Hughes@ladwp.com