Safety Resources
Alabama SAF-T-Net is a weather alerting system that uses mobile technology to deliver severe weather warnings and alerts to subscribers. The service is being offered at no cost in Alabama. Cullman EC has joined SAF-T-Net’s network of media partners. Anyone with a smart phone can download the Alabama SAF-T-Net app to their phone.
LOCATION-BASED ALERTS
SAF-T-Net allows subscribers to enter up to four different addresses. You can choose to receive alerts affecting your child at school, a spouse at work, an aging parent or any other location in the state where you need weather information.
WARNING IN THE POLYGON
Traditionally, weather warnings have been issued on a county-by-county basis. However, severe weather often tracks a path that impacts some communities while leaving other communities in the same county unaffected. SAF-T-Net issues storm-based, or polygon, warnings that are more specific than traditional, countywide warnings. These warnings can help citizens to know who is truly in danger of being affected by a tornado, severe thunderstorm or flash flood.
WARNING ONLY
When subscribers receive an alert from SAF-F-Net, they can be assured it is time to take precautions. SAF-T-Net issues alerts for warnings only — which are issued by the National Weather Service when a confirmed threat exists for your area — so you can take appropriate action.
Don’t gamble with your safety — if you’re a professional excavator or a homeowner, smart digging always requires a call to 811. Knowing where underground utility lines are buried before you dig will help protect you from injury and prevent damages to utilities, service disruptions and potential fines and repair costs. Whether you’re planting a tree or shrub or installing a deck or pool, every job requires a call — even if you’ve called before for a similar project. The depth of utility lines varies, and there may be multiple utility lines in one common area. Marked lines show you the approximate location of underground lines and help prevent undesired consequences such as injury, service disruptions to an entire neighborhood, or costly fines and repair costs.
Knowing what to look for is the first step to having a safe home. Use this monthly checklist to make every room in your home as safe as possible for your family.
Since the program’s creation in 2001, Safe Electricity® has been providing information to consumers and helping complement the safety education activities of utilities and educators. The program provides life-saving information through many channels—including its comprehensive web site, radio and television public service announcements, videos, and more.
Safety is important to us, both for our employees and our members Below are some links to important safety information to help everyone safe around electricity.
Accidentally contacting a power line can be dangerous and in some cases, even deadly. Your Touchstone Energy cooperative wants to help our members stay safe around power lines.
Keep a safe distance
Whether you are playing outdoors with your children or working on landscaping projects, keep a safe distance from power lines and other equipment your co-op uses to get electricity to your home.
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Stay away from power lines, meters, transformers, and electrical boxes.
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Don’t climb trees near power lines.
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Never fly kits, remote control airplanes or balloons near power lines.
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If you get something stuck in a power line, call your Touchstone Energy co-op to get it.
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Keep a safe distance from overhead power lines when working with ladders or installing objects such as antennas.
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Never touch or go near a downed power line.
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Don’t touch anything that may be touching a downed wire, such as a car.
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Keep children and pets away.
If a power line falls on a car, you should stay inside the vehicle. This is the safest place to stay. Warn people not to touch the car or the line. Call or ask someone to call the local cooperative and emergency services.
The only circumstance in which you should consider leaving a car that is in contact with a downed power line is if the vehicle catches on fire. Open the door. Do not step out of the car. You may receive a shock. Instead, jump free of the car so that your body clears the vehicle before touching the ground. Once you clear the car, shuffle at least 50 feet away, with both feet on the ground.
As in all power line related emergencies, call for help immediately by dialing 911 or call your electric utility company's Service Center/Dispatch Office.
Do not try to help someone else from the car while you are standing on the ground.
Preventing Electrocutions Associated with Portable Generators Plugged Into Household Circuits
When power lines are down, residents can restore energy to their homes or other structures by using another power source such as a portable generator. If water has been present anywhere near electrical circuits and electrical equipment, turn off the power at the main breaker or fuse on the service panel. Do not turn the power back on until electrical equipment has been inspected by a qualified electrician.
If it is necessary to use a portable generator, manufacturer recommendations and specifications must be strictly followed. If there are any questions regarding the operation or installation of the portable generator, a qualified electrician should be immediately contacted to assist in installation and start-up activities. The generator should always be positioned outside the structure.
When using gasoline- and diesel-powered portable generators to supply power to a building, switch the main breaker or fuse on the service panel to the "off" position prior to starting the generator. This will prevent power lines from being inadvertently energized by backfeed electrical energy from the generators, and help protect utility line workers or other repair workers or people in neighboring buildings from possible electrocution. If the generator is plugged into a household circuit without turning the main breaker to the “off” position or removing the main fuse, the electrical current could reverse, go back through the circuit to the outside power grid, and energize power lines or electrical systems in other buildings to at or near their original voltage without the knowledge of utility or other workers.
Effects of Backfeed
The problem of backfeed in electrical energy is a potential risk for electrical energy workers. Electrocutions are the fifth leading cause of all reported occupational deaths. Following the safety guidelines below can reduce this risk.
Other Generator Hazards
Generator use is also a major cause of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Generators should only be used in well-ventilated areas.