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Voluntary Contributions Can Help Local
Salmon
Salem
Electric is starting an exciting new voluntary program that will enable
customers to donate to local salmon recovery efforts. The salmon-friendly
program is scheduled to begin this fall.
"This will give our customers a chance to help
salmon right here in the Salem area. We're excited to be part of that kind of
community program," said Jim Dyer, President of Salem Electric's board of
directors. The board approved the new program on March 23.
The salmon-friendly program will allow customers to
donate to local salmon recovery efforts when they pay their electric bills. The
program will be completely voluntary. Every customer will make his or her own
decision about donating. Customers who choose to make the salmon-friendly
donation will receive newsletters updating them on how their contributions are
being used in local habitat restoration projects.
Contributions will go to the Pacific Salmon
Watershed Fund, which will allocate the funds to watershed organizations in the
Salem area. The Fund was created by For the Sake of the Salmon, a coalition of
diverse interest groups that all support salmon protection and restoration.
Five groups are actively working to improve salmon
habitat in the Salem area and could potentially benefit from Salem Electric
customer donations.
Pringle Creek Watershed Council
Pringle Creek flows through South and Southeast
Salem. Because clean water is essential to salmon survival, improving water
quality is one of the council's main tasks. The group works to make water
quality enhancement projects part of city construction and development
activities.
Glenn and Gibson Creeks Watershed Council
Council members work with farmers, neighborhoods,
local school groups, and community groups helping people to develop
salmon-friendly habits and land use practices. The council will also assist in
monitoring a new fish ladder in Salemtowne that restores passage for fish.
North Santiam Watershed Council
The North Santiam River supplies Salem's drinking
water. The council hopes the funds can help with the replacement of a culvert
on Madd Creek that prevents salmon from getting to some prime spawning habitat.
Rickreall Basin Watershed Council
The council, which formed three years ago, is now
planning an assessment of the Rickreall watershed's salmon habitat. The group
is also planning a community education program and river clean-ups.
Claggett Creek Watershed Council
Claggett Creek runs through Keizer and part of
Salem. The council is just getting off the ground and is making plans for a
careful examination of the watershed's health and fish populations.
The salmon-friendly program is a terrific
opportunity for Salem Electric customers to help salmon in their own backyards.
We invite you to donate.
More details on the program will be included in
upcoming newsletters. If you have questions, please call Salem Electric at
362-3601.
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Keep Little Ones Safe from Electric Shock
Ask
any parent. Electrical outlets, cords and light bulb sockets hold some kind of
fascination for small children. They seem to think that those tiny little slots
in an outlet were designed for them to play with. And a wayward cord is just
asking to be pulled.
Baby-proofing your home should start with looking
for electrical hazards-protecting your little ones from shocks is actually very
simple. For the minimal cost of outlet covers, you can keep things out of the
outlets. Some types totally block unused outlets; others allow you to use the
outlet but make it impossible for a child to insert fingers, pencils, pennies
or anything else.
Babies-and pets too-are also attracted to power
cords. They like to chew on them, play with them and pull on them. Secure loose
cords by carefully taping them down or routing them behind furniture and avoid
the risk of your child pulling a lamp down or chewing on a cord.
Some items like fans, irons and space heaters should
be unplugged and put away when they're not in use. In the kitchen, make certain
that the cords of small appliances, such as toasters, microwaves and coffee
makers, aren't in your child's reach. A few easy, inexpensive steps like these
will help you ensure your baby's safety.
Do you have questions about electrical safety? Call
us for help.
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A real voice.
A real person.
How refreshing! You call,
the phone rings once, maybe twice, then a pleasant voice answers, ready
to help. You'll never hear "press 1 for new service" or "press 3 for billing."
Never. When you call us, you'll get a real voice. A real person. Like Gail
Love, Senior Customer Service Representative. Give us a call at 362-3601,
person to person.
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Gail Love, serving you since 1984.
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Generator Tips
If you're considering purchasing a generator there
are a few things you need to know. You can either purchase a portable type,
where you plug your appliance directly into the generator or a
permanently-installed version that's wired into your service panel. All
permanently-installed generators must be connected to your wiring system by a
permanently-installed transfer switch. The transfer switch disconnects the
electrical service from the utility system prior to connecting the generator to
the home or business electrical service. The transfer switch is designed and
installed so that connection of the generator to the utility system is
prevented during any mode of operation. Compliance with these provisions is
necessary to prevent serious or possibly fatal accidents. If you connect a
portable generator to your service panel it must also be connected to a
permanently-installed transfer switch.
All transfer switches and/or transfer operating
schemes must meet applicable building codes and be inspected by the local
inspection agency.
Please keep in mind, in 1997 SE averaged only 7.44
minutes of outage time per customer; in 1998 that was reduced to 6.21 minutes,
compared to the national average for public power of 60 minutes per customer.
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May is Electric Safety
Month
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Guess
what I'm describing. It's invisible, it's silent, it's odorless, and it's
tasteless. It's powerful. It can be our greatest friend or a very dangerous
enemy. Do you know yet?
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I'm talking about electricity. May is National
Electrical Safety Month...and Salem Electric is reminding you that electricity
deserves our care and respect. Don't become a victim of electrical shock or
fire.
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