If you celebrate with Mylar balloons, remember to keep them tethered at all times and dispose of them properly.  Proper handling and disposal keeps them from drifting into power lines and causing a power outage.

When a Mylar balloon touches a power line or floats into substation equipment, their metallic properties cause a short circuit.  This can cause a surge of electricity and lead to power outages, fires and possible injuries.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of consumers experience power outages caused by Mylar balloons contacting electrical equipment. To reduce these outages and help keep customers’ lights on, keep the following tips in mind:

• Keep balloons tethered at all times and attached to a weight.
• When disposing of Mylar balloons, make sure to puncture them to ensure lingering helium doesn’t cause them to float and blow around if the garbage container is overturned.
• If a balloon or another toy becomes entangled in an overhead power line, don’t attempt to retrieve it. Call your utility for assistance.

Always assume power lines are live, and keep yourself, your equipment and all other items at least 10 feet away from power lines.