Bill Insert Description P1
[Illustration of a power strip with three black power cords plugged into it and one red power cord being plugged into the power strip]
WAIT!
[Illustration of a black electric cord plug prongs with a red circle around the cord plug prongs and a red line going through the circle diagonally]
DON'T PLUG THESE 15 THINGS INTO A POWER STRIP
It is fine to plug in some things into a power strip, such as computers, lamps, phones and other light-load electronics. However, appliances that require a lot of power should not be plugged into a power strip. Do not use a power strip with the following appliances:
IN THE KITCHEN
Refrigerators
Microwave ovens
Toasters Coffee makers
Blenders
Slow cookers
Rice cookers
Hair dryers
Curling irons
Other hairstyling
tools
IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM
Washing Machines
IN THE BATHROOM
Hair dryers
ANYWHERE
Sump pumps
Space heaters
Portable air conditioners
[Illustration of red triangle outline with black exclamation mark in the middle]
Do not overload power strips by plugging in appliances that consume more watts than the cord can handle. This can cause the power strip to overheat or start a fire.
[Illustration of informational flyer that is pinned with a red push pin in the top left corner that reads 'How to Put Out Electrical Fires' 'Stay safe. Act fast. Know what to do.']
[Illustration of a circle in the middle with a white electrical outlet with a black electrical cord plugged into the bottom plug. At the top of the electrical outlet is a red and orange flame with white/grey smoke. The background of the circle is a darker greyish/blue surrounded by blue, turquoise, orange, yellow, and red shadowed outlines.
[Illustration of blue power button]
Power down immediately.
If wires or appliances seem unsafe or smell odd, unplug if safe to do so, and switch off the circuit at the breaker box. If there's a fire, cut power, but only if you can do so safely.
[Illustration of a blue water droplet with a blue circle around the droplet, with a diagonal line going across the circle over the droplet.]
Do NOT use water.
Water conducts electricity - throwing it on an electrical fire could cause a shock or electrocution.
[Illustration of red fire extinguisher with black nozzle and handle with yellow and black stripes at the base]
Use a Class C fire extinguisher.
These are specifically designed for electrical fires and are the safest way to put out the fire.
[Illustration of a small orange box with a red and white label that reads 'SODA']
No extinguisher? Use baking soda.
Baking soda can smother small electrical fires by cutting off oxygen.
[Illustration of a yellow rotary phone receiver with the words 'CALL' and in a speech bubble reads '911']
Call for help, even if you think the fire is out. Evacuate the area immediately if the fire is too large to extinguish safely.
[Illustration of red banner along bottom with a white CWLP letter logo with white swoosh and star, and a white Safe Electricity.org logo]
Bill Insert Description P2
[Illustration of vertical space heater turner on, white a grey/white background with the words 'HEATING SAFETY TIPS FOR WINTER]
Simple precautions can help you avoid fire hazards and electrical dangers
There is nothing like curling up by the fire on a cold winter day. But heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths. With a few simple steps, you can prevent most heating fires from happening.
STAY COZY AND SAFE
Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment like furnaces, radiators, fireplaces, electric or wood stoves and space heaters. Maintain a 3-foot kid- and pet-free zone around heating equipment. Plug heaters and electric fireplaces directly into wall outlets. Never use extension cords or power strips. Plug only one heat-producing appliance into an electrical outlet at a time. Turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed. Unplug heaters when not in use. Never use your oven to heat your home. Test smoke alarms every month. Hire a qualified professional to install or service stationary heating equipment and water heaters according to manufacturer’s instructions. Have your heating system, vents and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
[Illustration of a single sheet of notebook paper, free from notebook, that reads 'Have a home fire escape plan and practice it with your family. Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to alert you before it's too late.']
[Illustration of black Safe Electricity Logo on top of red and blue letter CWLP logo with red swoosh and star and blue letters with CITY WATER, LIGHT & POWER SPRINGFIELD, IL tag]