National Fire Prevention Month

Electrical safety in the home

October is recognized as National Fire Prevention Month, and the Grand River Dam Authority is proud to join organizations like the Electric Safety Foundation International (esfi.org) to share some valuable information about preventing fires in your home.

According to ESFI, electric fires in the home account for approximately 51,000 fires each year. Of those fires, nearly one-third are caused by the home's electric system. However, there are some important steps you can take to help recognize and even prevent overloaded electric circuits in the home. Here is some information that can be helpful to you:

Warning signs of overloaded circuits:

* Flickering, blinking, or dimming lights
* Warm or discolored wall plates
* Burning odor coming from receptacles or wall switches
* Frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses
* Crackling, sizzling, or buzzing from receptacles
* Mild shock or tingle from appliances, receptacles, or switches
Steps to help can prevent electrical overloads in your home:

* Never use extension cords or multi-outlet converters for appliances.
* Major appliances should be plugged directly into wall receptacle outlets.
* Only plug one heat-producing appliance into a receptacle outlet at a time.
* A heavy reliance on extension cords is a good indicator that you have too few outlets to address your needs. Have a qualified electrician inspect your home and add new outlets.
* Only use the appropriate watt bulb for any lighting fixture. Using a larger watt bulb may cause a fire.
* Remember, power strips only add additional outlets; they do not change the amount of power being received from the outlet.
For more electric safety tips, visit esfi.org<https://www.esfi.org/>. Your friends at GRDA want you to stay safe and enjoy the fall season!

GRDA is Oklahoma's largest public power electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. Each day, GRDA strives to be an "Oklahoma agency of excellence" by focusing on the 5 E's: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees, and efficiency.

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