Practice these safety tips...

Electric

• When you see a downed electric power line, call Jackson Energy Authority immediately at 422-7500. Do not touch it; never assume electric wires are dead.
• Don't climb or attach anything to utility poles.
• Avoid overhead electric power lines when using long-handled equipment, tall ladders, television antennas or kites. If a kite string gets tangled in the electric lines, call Jackson Energy Authority. We will remove it for you.
• Make sure your home is wired correctly for electricity and that your tools and appliances are properly grounded.
• Do not overload your circuits, electric outlets or extension cords.
• Take extra precaution when using electrical equipment outdoors. Be sure to use fixtures and bulbs designed for outdoor use. Outdoor wiring should be on it own ground-fault circuit.
• Never touch electrical equipment when you are bathing, standing on a wet floor or have wet hands.
• Check your cords on electric equipment. Replace those that are frayed or damaged.
  Remember that lightning is electricity. Never stand under a tree or near a utility pole in a storm.
• Plant tall-growing trees at least 50 feet away from power lines. Falling limbs on power lines are a major cause of power outages.

Gas
Gas is odorless, so a chemical is added to it. The chemical's unpleasant smell helps you to detect potentially dangerous gas leaks from faulty appliances, broken pipes or broken mains.

• If you smell a slight odor of gas indoors, check your pilot lights to make sure they are lit. If that is not the problem, leave the building and call us from a neighbor's telephone.
• If the gas odor is strong, leave the building immediately. Do not turn on any lights or appliances. Leave the doors and windows open if possible. Don't light a match, use your telephone or switch anything on or off. Go to your nearest neighbor and then telephone us.
• To keep your home safe from carbon monoxide poisoning, make sure all of your gas appliances, including gas space heaters, are installed and serviced by a qualified person. Each year have a qualified serviceman check your appliances and heating units for safety.
• In an emergency situation, such as a punctured gas line or even an earthquake, turn off the propane coming in to your home. Learn the location of your natural gas valve. On propane tanks, the valve is inside the dome on top of your tank.
• Do not keep trying if you are having trouble lighting a pilot light. Call Jackson Energy Authority or your plumber.

Water/Wastewater

• Prepare your exterior water pipes for winter weather by wrapping them so they won't freeze. If the heat goes out in your home, keep a tap running slowly in the bathroom or kitchen to protect the pipes from freezing.
• Don't thaw frozen pipes with torches.
• If you smell sewer gas in your home or if wastewater is backing up, call the Energy Authority immediately.
• Do not submerge a water hose in a tank, bucket or swimming pool. This could create a back flow of polluted water into your plumbing system. If you think you have a backflow problem, call JEA.

Call before you dig
Whenever you need to dig call Tennessee One-Call at 1-800-351-1111, so that all underground utility lines can first be located.