Skip to main content
  • We're committed to reducing emissions within our footprint.

Home
  • About Us
  • Responsible Energy Plan
  • Media
    • Blog
    • Features
    • News
  • Renewable Energy
  • Cooperative Benefits
  • Operations
  • Careers
  • Search
Menu

Search form

top 4 electrical safety tips for kids

August 1, 2020

4 Electrical Safety Tips Every Kid Should Know

There are four electrical safety tips every kid should know. If you step back and look at your day, how many activities require electricity? You need electricity to charge your phone, cool your house, and cook dinner. Although power fills our daily lives with comfort and convenience, it’s important that we exercise caution around it to stay safe.

Last week I attended Tri-State’s virtual Story Behind the Switch (SBTS) program. SBTS is a virtual/in-classroom educational program delivered by Tri-State and its local electric co-ops. The program provides many electrical safety tips paired with hands-on activities and is provided for students K-12. Eligible teachers can request a Story Behind the Switch session for their students here.

As a near-college graduate, I was surprised at how much I learned about electricity during this 30-minute program. Not only did I take away many tips on safety, but I also realized the immense value of teaching kids how to stay safe around electricity. 

Here are 4 of the safety tips I learned from SBTS that every kid should know. 

 

4 Safety Tips Kids Should Know

 

1. Find Shelter in a Lightning Storm  

At the first sign of lightning, find shelter immediately inside a car or a building. Run towards that shelter and avoid tall trees, water and metal structures on the way. These items may attract lightning strikes and, according to the National Weather Service, may create side flashes that can reach out to you if you are within a foot or two of the object that is struck. 

Never lay on the ground or find shelter under a tree during an electrical storm. When lightning strikes a tree or other object, much of the energy travels outward from the strike and along the ground surface, striking anything in its path.

 

2. Stay In the Car if there are Downed Power Lines

If you see power lines on or near the ground, remain calm and stay in the vehicle. Call 911, warn others not to approach you and wait until utility personnel indicate you are safe to leave the car. 

If the car starts on fire, you’ll need to jump free from it without touching the outside of the vehicle and while landing with your feet together. Hop away while keeping your feet together at all times. Tri-State helped to develop this SafeElectricity.com video which portrays a real-life situation of a school bus and its safe encounter with downed power lines.

 

3. Stay Away from Power Lines

Power lines are dangerous because electricity doesn’t flow through the power line; it  flows around it. This means that if you touch or even just get close to a power line, there is nothing to protect you from the electricity traveling on that power line. Never fly kites, climb trees or use a ladder near a power line. It’s crucial to check your surroundings and  look up to make sure you have no potential to interact with a power line. For an emotional, true story of the dangers of climbing trees near power lines, watch this SafeElectricity.com video.

 

4. Use Caution with Conductors of Electricity

It’s important to know which materials and objects conduct electricity so you can interact with them safely when electricity is nearby. The human body is an effective conductor of electricity because of the water and minerals in our bodies. We need to act with caution around power lines, outlets and other potential electrical hazards. 

Water is another conductor we need to avoid while near electricity. Tap water contains conductive metals so it’s important not to touch switches, outlets, or use a hairdryer with wet hands. If you see lightning while you’re swimming outside, get out of the pool or lake immediately and seek shelter.


Parents, for more electrical safety tips check out SafeElectricity.com from the Energy Education Council for plenty of engaging kid activities, helpful teacher resources and videos including Outdoor Electrical Box Safety and Electric Shock Drowning. You’ll also find tips such as keeping safe during lightning storms and overhead power line safety as well as other important ideas to keep your family safe.

 ___

Tri-State is a not-for-profit cooperative of 45 members, including 42 member utility electric distribution cooperatives and public power districts in four states, that together deliver reliable, affordable, and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West.

Michelle Pastor

Contributor:

Michelle Pastor, Senior Education Program Advisor

Blog Posts

Induction vs. Gas Cooktops

Induction vs. Gas Cooktops

Are you ready to switch out your gas cooktop? The equipment you use to cook your food is just as important as the ingredients you use. If you are looking to switch out gas for electricity or buy an induction cooktop or range, here are some pros and cons for each, and tips for going with induction. 
Matt Fitzgibbon, Beneficial Electrification Manager
Read more >
what is beneficial electrification

What is Beneficial Electrification?

What is ‘Beneficial Electrification,’ and why is it important?
Matt Fitzgibbon, Beneficial Electrification Manager
Read more >
Tips for Switching to LED Lighting

Tips for Switching to LED Lighting

Thinking of transitioning to LED bulbs? Learn how making the switch to LED light bulbs offers significant energy savings over incandescent and halogen alternatives, and how you can choose the best lighting options for your home
Sander Blackburn, Member Relations Program Manager
Read more >
Energy Saving Water Heaters

Energy Saving Water Heaters

Conventional water heaters may be a thing of the past with the introduction of a variety of new energy-efficient water heaters. The type of water heater you choose will also affect your water heating costs. Whether you are shopping around for a new energy-saving water heater, looking to replace an old one that just went out, or looking for the best model for a new house build, here are some tips to help you choose carefully.
Matt Fitzgibbon, Beneficial Electrification Manager
Read more >
Make Your Home More Energy Efficient in 2021

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient in 2021

Many homeowners are now looking for more ways to make their home energy efficient by stepping into smart home technology, electrified appliances, embracing cleaner energy sources, and pursuing more energy-efficient ways to heat and cool their homes. Here are a few energy-saving tips to make your home more efficient in 2021.
Matt Fitzgibbon, Beneficial Electrification Manager
Read more >
Advantages of Heat Pumps for Energy Efficiency

Advantages of Heat Pumps for Energy Efficiency

A heat pump is considered one of the most energy-efficient methods for heating and cooling a home, especially compared to homes heated with baseboard electric heat or propane heated homes. With the improvements in technology over the last 5 years, heat pumps are becoming competitive even in homes heated by natural gas.
Peter Rusin, Member Relations Manager
Read more >
Fun Winter Activity Ideas for the Whole Family

Fun Winter Activities for the Whole Family

Snowy, winter days are here, which means outdoor snow activities! Whether you’re heading outdoors for the slopes, trails, ice skating rink, or backyard, remember to practice safety first. Too snowy to go outside? We also have some unique winter activities to enjoy indoors, as well as a few within our members’ footprint throughout Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
Kristen Wurth, Communications Specialist
Read more >
Holiday Gift Ideas for Electricians

Gift Ideas for the Electrician

If you’re lost for gift ideas for the lineworker or electrician who is also a gadget lover, we've put together a handy list with some of the best tech and electrician gifts of 2020 for those who seem to have it all.
Matt Fitzgibbon, Beneficial Electrification Manager
Read more >
Electrical Safety Tips for the Holidays

Electrical Safety Tips for the Holidays

To keep up the holiday cheer, and to avoid anything that looks like a ‘Griswold’s Christmas’, we’ve outlined a list of very important safety tips to follow to keep you and your family safe. 
Kent Mahanna, MPH, CSP Senior Manager Safety & Security
Read more >

Pagination

  • Currently on page   1
  • Page   2
  • Page   3
  • Page   4
  • Page   5
  • Next pageNext ›
  • Last pageLast »

Subscribe

* indicates required
Join us on the journey
Sign up for emails
 
 

Quick links

  • About Us
  • Financials
  • Media
  • Operations
  • Careers
  • Member Tools
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Employee login

Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
Office: 303-452-6111
1100 West 116th Avenue
Westminster, CO 80234

Mailing address:
PO Box 33695
Denver, CO 80233-0695

©2021 Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. Power supplier to the rural west.

  • About Us
  • Responsible Energy Plan
  • Media
    • Blog
    • Features
    • News
  • Renewable Energy
  • Cooperative Benefits
  • Operations
  • Careers
  • Search