By By KERRY WHIPPLE BEAN – Publisher
Did you know you are supposed to ground a generator before you use it?
Nearly everyone attending a chamber-sponsored seminar on hurricane preparedness Thursday owned a generator - but few knew that important safety tip.
The chamber sponsored the event, which included information about general safety and preparation tips, business interruption insurance and protection of technology during a storm.
Generator safety can be overlooked, Johnson said, but it is even more important considering a Georgia lineman was electrocuted last year when trying to restore power in Flomaton after Hurricane Dennis. Officials believe his death could have been caused by backfeed - a phenomenon that happens when a generator is improperly installed and sends the electric current back through the lines.
To avoid that backfeed, Johnson said generators should only be hooked up to a house's electrical system if a homeowner has installed a double-throw switch that will completely disconnect the house from the electrical grid.
Other tips from Jonson: