People who set off fireworks on their property should be aware that the display they enjoy for a few moments could cause a power outage lasting hours, West Penn Power said as a warning of what might happen if safety procedures are not followed.

While fireworks and foil balloons are two of the most common ways to celebrate Independence Day, they can create safety issues and cause major damage to the electric system when used near power lines and electrical equipment, said Chad Stoneking, director of Safety Operations at FirstEnergy, the parent company of West Penn Power.

FirstEnergy’s tips for fireworks displays are just like those issued by municipalities and fire officials: “leave the large, colorful fireworks displays to the professionals.”

Extra caution should be used when handling fireworks, firecrackers and rockets at home. They should only be lit in open areas where no power lines are in sight.

Metallic-coated foil balloons that are released or slip away from the holder could blow into a power line and short out the electrical equipment, disrupting power for thousands of customers, said Todd Meyers, West Penn Power spokesman. The metallic coating on the balloons conducts electricity.

The release of the metallic balloons usually starts causing power problems in February, but it often peaks in June or July, Stoneking said.

Balloon lovers should securely tie helium-filled foil balloons to a weight heavy enough to prevent them from floating away, then puncture and deflate the balloon once they are no longer used, FirstEnergy said.

So far this year, West Penn Power has experienced eight outages due to foil balloons contacting the power lines.

”We’re not even halfway through the year and we’ve already matched the same number of balloon-related outages — eight— that we had at West Penn Power in all of 2021,” Meyers said.

If a balloon or fireworks causes a problem, FirstEnergy said the device should be left alone and people should call FirstEnergy at 888-544-4877 to report the problem.

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