For many New Brunswickers, the Victoria Day weekend means it’s time to enjoy the outdoors and finally tackle the long checklist of things to do around the house, yard or cottage. Whether you are just headed out to do a little work in the garden or are off to take on more ambitious outdoor projects, it’s important to keep safety top of mind. Most of us think that we know enough about electricity to stay safe. After all, we are surrounded by it and use it everyday. However, each year people are injured and millions of dollars in property damage are caused by electrical hazards that could have been avoided.

This weekend, follow the tips below to help protect you, your family and your home from harm;

Working around power lines:

Look up! Check the surrounding area to ensure that you will not accidentally come in contact with overhead power lines. Remember minimum safe distances of approach:

• Up to 750 volts - 0.9 metres (3 feet)
• 750 to 100 kilovolts - 3.6 metres (12 feet)
• 101 to 250 kv - 5.2 metres (17 feet)
• 251 to 345 kv - 6.1 metres (20 feet)

Look down! Some power lines are buried as little as one foot underground. Don't take a chance. Be sure you know where power lines are located before digging to install a fence, plant a tree or dig holes.

To ensure you have all the information you need before starting your project, call NB Power at 1 800 663-6272. We can:

• Mark underground lines
• De-energize and insulate overhead lines
• Raise overhead lines
• Provide warning signs for hazardous areas

Equipment Safety

Planning on using some tools this weekend? Make sure you do it safely. 

• If you haven’t used your electric tools all winter, inspect them for damage to cords, plugs and wiring. If required, take the tool to a qualified professional for repair.
• Protect yourself from injury. Turn the electric tool off, unplug it and put it in the “lock” position when carrying or connecting attachments such as mower baskets or saw blades.
• When working outdoors, use only weather-resistant heavy gauge extension cords marked “for outdoor use.” These weather resistant cords have added safeguards designed to withstand the outdoor environment.
• Never leave electric tools unattended where children or other unqualified adults can misuse them.

Tree trimming

NB Power always advises leaving tree trimming to the professionals, particularly when the tree and its limbs are anywhere near a power line. 

But if you do plan to do some trimming, here are some safety reminders:

• Make sure your ladder or pole doesn’t come within the safe minimum distance to a power line – it doesn’t even have to touch the line, if electrical arcing occurs, you could still be in danger.
• Use fiberglass ladders outdoors; metal or wooden ladders can conduct electricity.
• Do not climb with tools in your hands and be sure to wear safety equipment at all times.
• Do not trim trees in dangerous weather conditions.

Be smart, be safe, stay out of danger!

Sometimes heroes wear hard hats instead of capes.

Terry Bass, a Construction Manager at NB Power, certainly wasn’t expecting to be part of a life-saving rescue when he went to work on a beautiful summer morning. Terry was working alongside a crew from East Coast Powerline in the forest near Allardville. With the help of a Vortex company helicopter, they were working on reliability upgrades in northern New Brunswick.

While on top of an 80-foot tall tower, a member of the crew heard someone calling out for help. They yelled in the direction of the sound and a woman shouted back that she’d been lost in the woods for days and couldn’t walk anymore.

Terry and the rest of the team jumped into action, starting the emergency response plan they learn before each project. They coordinated with Ambulance NB and the RCMP before setting off in the helicopter. Armed with a backboard and medical supplies, the team was dropped off near the marshy rescue area.  

“The crew waded through knee-deep water, grass, mud, and kept going until they found her,” said Terry. “Amazingly she was able to speak and in good spirits but was not able to get out of there on her own. We worked together to carry her out of the marsh and onto solid ground. Then we figured out the nearest access road and carried her through the dense forest and brush while medics attended to her needs.”

After hiking about 2.4 kilometers, the crew was shocked to discover it was a woman from Saint-Isidore who had been missing for nearly two weeks. RCMP and Ground Search and Rescue had been looking for her.

“I just can’t believe she’s alive,” said Terry. “She said she’d been drinking water on leaves and eating berries she found on the ground. It’s remarkable that she was doing so well after such a terrible experience. We are all so happy that we happened to be in the right place – a very remote one – to be able to help her get home.”

Terry and the crew helped first responders get the woman to an ambulance and she was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries. She is happy to be back home, thanks to the heroics of our team.

Anyone who knows Terry won’t be surprised that he played a role in this life-saving mission. He is passionate about helping others and is a perfect example of what our employees are all about.

At NB Power, we are proud of our people that are the heart of our company. Working in communities across our great province, our employees have been serving New Brunswickers for more than 100 years.

This story is a powerful example of how a perfectly-timed coincidence, paired with courage and know-how, can change someone’s life.

Weekends can be a perfect time to get outside and bring your yard back to life after winter. Whether you’re planning on pruning shrubs, cleaning out gutters or getting your cottage ready for the summer, your work could put you near power lines.

Be sure to look up and around for power lines before starting any job around your home this weekend. These lines have the power to injure or even kill. Keeping this in mind will help you and your family have a productive, fun and safe weekend.

Backyard cleanup

Need to get up and give those gutters a good cleaning? Make sure your ladder is the right height for you to reach your work area comfortably, and safely.

If there are power lines nearby, place your ladder at least 3 feet away from the line. If your ladder is too close, electrical arcing can occur, which could result in serious injury for you if you are on the ladder.

Treat all downed power lines as if they were live.  Stay at least 10 metres away from anything the lines may be touching, including water and fences. Never attempt to repair damaged power lines or remove tree limbs from power lines.

If water got into your property

Cleaning up from flooding or opening your summer property this weekend? Please make safety your first priority.

Check your electrical panel for damage.  If it is damaged, it must be replaced. Secure a licensed Electrical Contractor.

If your water heater has been damaged by water, contact us immediately. If you need to have your water heater replaced because of flooding, we will be waiving all fees associated with replacing your water for the Spring flood 2018.

If your power was disconnected during a flood, NB Power can safely reconnect your power after these steps have been completed.

If you have a safety concern contact us: 1 800 663-6272

The holidays are almost here. For many, that means it’s time to dig out the lights, get out the holiday décor and trim those trees. Did you know it’s also a great time to use less energy? If you’re planning on stringing up some lights inside and outside your home this holiday, be sure to consider switching to LEDs (light emitting diodes.)

Using ENERGY STAR® certified LED lights is a great alternative to save power, since LED lights use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Traditional bulbs consume about 7 watts of electricity per hour, per bulb, while LEDs use about 2 watts per hour, per strand.

Let’s take a look at what that translates to in dollars.

*based on bulbs running for 6 hours a day for 31 days. 

Another way you can control how much energy your holiday lights use, put both your indoor and outdoor lights on timers, and set them to turn on and off at set times.

Keep it safe

If you’ve got a lot of light-up decorations in your home, be careful not to plug too many into one outlet. It could result in heat building up in the wires, which could lead to a fire.

Here are a few other easy steps you can take in your home to help keep your family safe from electrical fires:

• Make sure all extension cords and electric decorations are marked for proper use.
• Turn off all indoor and outdoor decorations before going to sleep or leaving home.
• When decorating outdoors keep yourself at least 10 meters away from power lines to keep yourself safe from electrical arching.
• Make sure outdoor electric decorations are labelled for outdoor use.
• Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires and loose connections may result in shock or fire.
• Modern lights have fused plugs, preventing sparks in case of a short circuit. Get rid of old lights that don’t have fuses and get a set of newer, safer lights.

By incorporating these habits into your routine each year, you can ensure your family has a safe, energy-efficient and happy holiday season. Visit the safety and save energy sections of our website for more great tips to use in your home.

Camping is a great way to enjoy all the beauty New Brunswick has to offer. But did you know you can use your camping gear during an emergency like a power outage? If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you might have a lot of these items around the house already. Here are 7 items you can use to help you and your loved ones be storm ready!

1. Lights
   Flashlights, head lamps and lanterns can help light your home at night when the power is out. Whether it’s just for a few hours, or a few days, these lights can spare you some stubbed toes during an outage. Make sure you keep spare batteries in a drawer or container for easy access. Avoid using candles, as they can be a fire hazard.
   
2. 72 hour supply of non-perishable food
   Food that you take camping can be a great option during an emergency or power outage. Make sure you have enough food to last 72 hours, as recommended by the Government of Canada. Canned food, freeze-dried meals and ready-to-eat food and snacks are all great options to have on hand. Don’t forget to keep a manual can-opener handy too!
   
3. Coolers
   If you lose power during the winter, large coolers stored outside can be a great way to keep food you want to cook that day cool so you don’t have to open your fridge. Make sure you keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. The contents should be good for 24-48 hours.
   
4. Outdoor grill
   Not matter the season, you can fire up your grill to cook food for your family. Be prepared by keeping spare fuel for your grill around so you can get it going quickly. Never use your grill inside the house- this is a major safety hazard- keep your family safe and only operate it outdoors.
   
5. Backpack
   Turn a spare backpack into an easy-to-grab emergency kit that includes the essentials like a first aid kit, water, cash, medications and pet food. Have a multi-tool for your camping trips? You can also add this to your kit. Watch this video to see what other essential items you need to get your kit together!
6. Radio
   If you lose power during major weather events, you might not be able to get important updates on your smart phone, as sometimes cell service can also be impacted. Having a radio or solar powered radio on hand can be a great way to stay connected to your local news for important updates on the situation. During outages we work closely with local stations to provide updates on restoration progress.
   
7. Battery banks
   Portable battery banks are a great way to keep your smart phone charged on your excursions so you never miss a photo, but they can also help you out during an emergency. Make sure your battery banks are fully charged and somewhere handy during power outages. If you lose power, you can use your smart phone to report your outage on our website and check for outage updates on Twitter.

What other camping items would you use in your emergency kit? Tell us in the comments below. And don’t miss your chance to enter our Storm Preparedness contest.