HR1254 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1254 LRB096 22315 KXB 41388 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Electricity has become an invisible, but integral force in our lives, our economy, and our culture, providing untold services upon which our families and communities depend everyday; and

WHEREAS, Warmer weather brings people outdoors to enjoy recreational activities, making awareness of potential electrical hazards a vital safety consideration; and

WHEREAS, Spring is the ideal time for making home improvements that may include electrical repair, engaging in landscaping projects that may inadvertently touch buried utility lines; and

WHEREAS, Spring weather frequently causes basement flooding that allows water to conduct fatal electric current outward from electrical appliances and power sources; and

WHEREAS, Citizens are encouraged to check their homes and workplaces for possible electrical hazards to help protect lives and property, such as loose wall receptacles and wires, improperly used extension cords, and overloaded circuits; and

WHEREAS, Citizens are encouraged to test their smoke detectors and ground fault circuit interrupters monthly and after every major electrical storm; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Fire Administration reports electrical problems last year accounted for 67,800 fires, 485 deaths, 2,305 injuries, and more than $1.4 billion in property losses from electrical fires that were preventable; and

WHEREAS, More than five people in the workplace and one person in the home are electrocuted each week; and

WHEREAS, Following basic electrical safety precautions can help prevent injury or death to thousands of people each year; and

WHEREAS, The Energy Education Council's Safe Electricity Program is the largest public outreach program in the nation; and

WHEREAS, The SafeElectricity.org website is an online library of videos, articles, teacher lesson plans, youth games and activities, and more; and

WHEREAS, The Council on Safe Electricity serves consumers nationwide from their headquarters in Springfield, supporting this vital initiative, promoting a healthy respect for electricity and educating the public about the safe use of electrical appliances and safety practices around electrical equipment; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the month of May 2010 and every May thereafter as Safe Electricity Month in the State of Illinois, and urge the citizens of the State to educate themselves on the importance of the safe use of electricity.