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News Release
Oct. 2, 2002
Call PNM Immediately if a Balloon Touches
Power Line
Albuquerque: PNM officials are urging hot-air balloon
crews and balloon watchers to call the company immediately
if they see a balloon touch a power line during the Albuquerque
International Balloon Fiesta.
The number to call to report a balloon-power line incident
is 246-5700.
Crews and onlookers should not attempt to remove a balloon
from a power line, as the line might be energized even after
a balloon becomes entangled. Making contact with a balloon
in this instance could result in electrocution for the person
trying to help as well as those in the balloon’s gondola.
“The best way to help, if a balloon does hit a power
line, is to call us as soon as it happens,” said PNM
Vice President John Myers. “Our emergency response crews
and outage response center are on a heightened state of alert
during this event, and only they can determine what needs
to be done to reduce the risk of electrocution.”
Myers said PNM takes several precautions during the Balloon
Fiesta to reduce the risks associated with balloons taking
off and landing near power lines. These include:
- Positioning emergency response crews just outside Balloon
Fiesta grounds to enable a quick response in the event of
an incident;
- Placing two trained coordinators on the field every morning
to answer pilots’ questions and to give real-time information
to the PNM outage response center on which direction balloons
are traveling; and
- Placing a special brochure on power line safety in every
pilot’s briefing packet.
Pilot's brochure: safety
tips for flying in vicinity of power lines
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