What goes into an electric outlet?
What should you do when a power line is down?
How does electricity move?
These were some of the questions answered Tuesday when young readers at the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library received a lesson in safety around electricity during the second session of the Summer Reading Program.
Elizabethton Electric Department employees Ken Markland and Chad Bowman visited the library, and with the help of Neon Leon, shared electric safety tips with the summer readers and their families.
Markland showed the youngsters different warning signs that would be in place around electricity and electrical components.
“When you see these signs, stay away,” Markland said. “That means there is danger.”
Markland gave a basic electricity lesson, explaining that it moves in currents and needs a conductor to help it travel. Neon Leon, a light-up plastic man, showed how that electric current could pass through a person when that individual touches an electricity source.
The young readers were given safety tips for handling situations where electricity was present. They were told to never use an electric device near water, and to not put anything into an electric outlet that was not a power cord, which should only be done with adult supervision.
If they ever came upon a downed power line, they were told to stay away and tell an adult.
Another part of the presentation was conducted by fellow summer reader Elijah Smith. He demonstrated how remote-controlled helicopters work. Smith has been flying and collecting RC helicopters for a year.
He shared his single-blade and double-blade helicopters, while noting he had a quad-blade at home.
“The first time I flew one was on a New Year’s Eve,” Smith said. “I am still learning and collecting.”