For Emergency Responders
In an effort to help educate first responders so that they can perform their jobs safely and effectively, Liberty provides valuable information on responding to electrical emergencies.
Electrical Safety - Residential - Central - Liberty
Electricity is part of our everyday lives. It is used daily to help run our fast-paced world. Like any power source, however, it can be dangerous. Learn more about how to be safe around electricity below.
Power Line Safety
Power lines, substations, and transformers all contain “live” parts that can be dangerous to contact. Whether uninsulated overhead powerlines or underground power lines, it’s important to exercise caution around any electrical system.
Electrical Safety at Home
With all the appliances, tools, cords, and plugs we use in everyday life, it's important to know how to use them safely. Keep yourself and your family safe by treating power with respect.
Dig Safe
Planting a tree? Installing a fence? Planning a home improvement? Call 811.
Did you know it’s the law to make this call? Electric power lines, natural gas pipelines, water pipes, communications lines, and other utility services can be within a few feet of the ground’s surface. Not knowing where they are can result in personal injury, property damage, and neighborhood service interruptions. Even a small dent or a scrape can cause damage, resulting in a leak or service-wide disruptions.
Electrical Fire Prevention
Most electrical fires can be traced to overheated circuits and overloaded equipment. When abused, insulation may melt or burn, exposing live wires. Learn what to do in the event of a fire and how to avoid having one.
Generator Safety
Purchasing an electric generator as a standby system can help you prepare for the possibility of a power outage. However, generators can be expensive to run and maintain, noisy, and, most importantly, may pose a serious safety hazard if not used and installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Be sure to follow all safety guidelines when using a generator.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a normal byproduct of fuel combustion, but high levels of it indoors can be dangerous to your health. Typical heating fuels (oil, coal, wood, gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, or natural gas) can create carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide has no odor, color, or taste, but can cause serious health issues. Take steps to make sure your home is protected.
Underground Electric and Transformer Safety
Underground electrical service has several benefits. There are less power disruptions due to tree contact, wires are out of sight, and there are no utility poles to contend with locally. However, it’s important to use caution around associated underground infrastructure.
Emergency Kit Checklist
It's important to be prepared in case of an emergency or storm that may result in a loss of power. Here's a checklist you can use to prepare an emergency kit for your home or shelter.
- Essential medications
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Canned food, or non-perishable food and can opener (at least three-days worth)
- Bottled water (at least one gallon per person per day, for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
- First-aid kit
- Whistle (to signal for help)
- Extra cellphone battery or charger
- Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Non-sparking wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Local maps
- Sturdy shoes or boots, to walk in after an emergency
Extreme Weather Preparation
Liberty encourages customers to be prepared for extreme weather conditions by having an emergency plan in place and additional supplies on hand.
- If a family member is medically dependent upon electricity or is elderly, make sure to have arrangements in place to maintain their health and safety if the power goes out.
- Always have on hand a first aid kit and essential medications, battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries, canned food and a can opener, and bottled water (at least one gallon per person per day).
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
- Listen for updated weather and outage information from weather radio or local television and radio stations.
- Remember to bring family pets indoors or provide protective shelter during extreme weather.
Call Liberty at 1-800-206-2300 (Electric & Water) 1-800-424-0427 (Gas) to report outages, flickering lights, downed lines, or other electrical problems.
You can also report your outage online via MyAccount.
Understanding Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are part of our everyday lives and are present around such things as appliances, electronics, power lines, and electric wiring.
Missouri's Overhead Power Line Safety Act
Power lines, substations, and transformers all contain “live” parts that can be dangerous to contact. Whether uninsulated overhead powerlines or underground power lines, it’s important to exercise caution around any electrical system. Our highest priority is a commitment to safety, so we're sharing the full text of the Overhead Power Line Safety Act.
Customer Responsibility
Liberty works diligently to maintain our overhead electric infrastructure to provide safe and reliable service to our customers. It’s important to realize, however, that as a customer, you or the property owner are responsible for the maintenance of customer-owned infrastructure.
As you can see in the illustration, Liberty (in purple) is responsible for the service wire to the point of delivery, and for repairing or replacing the electric meter, if damaged.
Customers (in black) are responsible for providing and installing the service point of attachment, wiring after the point of delivery, weatherhead, drip loop, and the meter can that houses the electric meter.
