TOLLAND, Connecticut, April 19, 2002 – A Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) presentation to the Tolland Fire Department on “Electrical Emergencies“ will be held on Monday, April 22, at 7:00 p.m. at the Tolland Fire Training Center located on Merrow Road. The Fire Department will be shown how to identify and avoid electrical danger, and the action steps necessary to take when danger is encountered.
In the first part of the program, Francis Brancieri, safety and health presenter for CL&P, will demonstrate how electrical circuits service communities in Tolland and how to differentiate high voltage and low voltage wires from telephone and television wires.
The basic principles of electricity will be explained during the second part of the program. “It is important to understand the potentially dangerous situations public servants encounter while performing their duties," said Brancieri.
The program continues with an explanation of how to identify electrical dangers and steps to take when they are encountered. “This really hits home when I use a small tree branch to demonstrate this point with an electrical simulator. When sparks and arcing electricity are visible from a branch touching the wires, the erroneous belief that trees and wood are safe is quickly discounted,”said Brancieri. There is no way of knowing, just by looking at a wire, whether or not is it is conducting electricity. “Trees leaning on wires can and do carry electricity,” emphasized Brancieri. "All electrical wires should be treated as if they are live, regardless of how inactive they appear. That is why our goal is to ensure the safety and health of the public and every member of our CL&P team," he said.
The meeting concludes with an explanation of CL&P’s communications procedures and priorities during storms and emergencies. Francis Brancieri will be the presenter.
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