It’s summertime ... be safe, Arizonans!

Have a safe day. That’s the message Arizona Public Service wants to get out to all Arizonans this summer as we head into a season known for back yard projects, trimming trees and monsoons.

Electricity keeps us cool, keeps our lives running and is something we are around on a daily basis. If not treated with caution and respect, electricity can cause severe injuries. Whether you are at home, or out and about, it’s important to keep electrical safety in mind.

Sometimes staying safe is so simple, we don’t think about it. For example, as I travel around Yuma County, I often see hay bales stacked directly under electrical wires. Hay is a highly flammable material, so it should be stacked a safe distance from utility poles. Frequently when hay catches fire, first responders let it burn out rather than fight the flames. If the fire damages utility infrastructure, crews have to wait for the flames to be completely extinguished before making repairs to restore power. This leaves workers — and customers — at risk. All of these dangers could be prevented by simply stacking hay bales a safe distance from power lines.

Randy Boles, public safety leader for APS, advises, “Do not store hay and other materials under overhead power lines to protect field workers from accidental contact with high voltage lines. These lines will cause catastrophic, if not fatal, injuries in the event contact is made.”

The following additional tips will help you identify and avoid other potentially hazardous conditions when working with or near electricity at home or outdoors:

• Make sure you know the location of buried electrical lines in your back yard. Call 811 before you dig.

• Contact your local electric utility before you trim or cut down trees that are near overhead power lines.

• Look up before skimming your pool or trimming trees to ensure there are no power lines nearby.

• Keep metallic balloons indoors, as they are highly conductive. Dispose of them properly in the trash; do not release balloons into the air.

• Learn what “danger high voltage” signs look like, and stay away from power lines, substations and pad-mounted electrical equipment.

• If your vehicle comes to rest touching a downed power line, stay inside the vehicle, remain calm, call 911 and then call APS.

• Call 911 if you see a downed power line or exposed electrical equipment. Keep yourself safe by staying at least 100 feet away.

• Treat all wires with caution, regardless of size. Always assume any wire is energized.

• If a storm hits and you see damage to an area that has power lines in the vicinity, stay away from the area and call 911. The area may still be energized.

Important numbers to remember:

Emergency police, fire and medical: 9-1-1

APS Public Safety Department: 602-501-3418

APS Customer Service Department: 800-253-9405 aps.com Arizona Blue Stake Center — call before you dig

Nationally recognized 3 digit one call number: 8-1-1 800-782-5348 azbsinc.com For more information about staying safe this summer — and all year long, visit aps.com/safety. With this information, we hope to help you make every day a safe day.

Anna Chaulk is the community affairs manager for APS. She can be reached at anna.chaulk@aps.com.