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How To Protect Yourself, Your Child, Or Pet From A Possible Shocking Or Electrocution

Streetzaps.com is a non-partisan initiative organized and led by Blair Sorrel to reduce the year round risk of injury and fatality from contact voltage shocking or electrocution resulting from damaged or tampered wiring.

We've Got The Whole Wide World At Our Feet

  New Yorkers walk over a staggering 94,000 miles of underground and transmission cables daily.

  Nearly 1,000 miles of cable span every square mile of New York City.

  New York sits atop the world's longest network which encircles the globe FOUR TIMES.

  Con Edison's Electrical Service is rated 100 times more reliable than any other carrier in servicing its 3.2 million electrical customers with a formidable load density per MW/Square Mile that is 10 times Chicago's, 20 times Los Angeles', and 30 times Boston's.

  Infrastructure deterioration is an INTERNATIONAL problem, and in spite of the occasional failings, the present nexus is still far safer than the overhead predecessor that caused numerous fatalities during the Blizzard of 1888.

Helpful Hints To Heed This Hidden Hazard

Take just a few seconds to survey the immediate surroundings and make your trajectory toward a non-conductive surface, ie., plastic, wood, cardboard, rather than risking any metal or electrical fixture.  

The lowly, free-standing garbage bag, is you and your dog's best friend, most of the time, unless it's snowed and salted.  

Consider the safer, hardware-free RopeNGo leash and harness to help shield against a possible zapping and for greater peace of mind.  Learn how to Avoid Possibly Dangerous Street Fixtures.

Contact Voltage Doesn't Discriminate By Gender

Your pooch's sex is irrelevant.  True, the most gruesome scenario is that of a male dog electrocuted by its ricocheting urine, but contact voltage is just that, mere interaction with an energized surface.  

Our poster girl sidled a fire hydrant and limped for five days.  Intuit your dog's cues, if resistant to an area, choose an alternative route.  Elude potentially live work areas or carry your canine, if necessary.  

Opt for indoor products such as The Pet Loo, Hammacher Schlemmer's Indoor Restroom, or Wee-Wee Pads, if external conditions are ominous. Dog booties can leak and make your pooch even more vulnerable.

We're not suggesting you and your dog become social shut-ins, we want to encourage you to be aware that:

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– Street & Traffic Lights can leak if damaged internally, even if the compartment is fully closed and the light is not illuminated

– While wooden blocks anchor Scaffolding or Sidewalk Sheds, be aware that sloppy wiring by a contractor and/or the use of lighting equipment which is NOT WATER-PROOFED or even suitable for outdoor usage, may still shock a passerby.

– ATM Vestibules

– Decorative Lighting

– Dog Booties may increase
the risk of a shock

– Electrical Boxes

– Fire Hydrants

– Fire Police Call Boxes

– Manhole Covers

– Muni Meters

– Phone Booths

– Service Boxes

– Street Light Boxes

– Traffic Boxes

– Work Areas

Non-Seasonality Yet An Enhanced Summer And Winter Risk

Shockings occur year-round, but evidence indicates that the most hazardous time is in the winter after snow falls and in the summer after heavy rains.  The winter incidents are likely when melted snow mixed with salt-based deicers form a saline solution and conduction path from defective or tampered cables and equipment, usually several days after the snowfall.  Summer events usually happen when water builds up or ponds around and infiltrates damaged or defective equipment.

No Shoes – Human or Canine – Shield Against A Shocking

Non-conductive surfaces, unless salt-treated, are always SAFER CHOICES.

   

Shocked by Fire Hydrant  

 

 

 

Pedestrians are advised to avoid work sites which may be live.  Being prudent is as safe an option as using a non-metal dog leash.  

 

Any outdoor electrical object may
be energized year-round.

If you see or know of a hazard,
Let Us Know!

 

Click Here to View/Download our Alert Flyer & Circulate it!

VIGILANCE AND AVOIDANCE ARE AT PRESENT YOUR BEST DEFENSES AGAINST SHOCKINGS.Excerpted from Are You Playing Russian Roulette With Your Dog? The NY Dog Council, June 2008

Street Zaps is recommended by: 

NYCdog
http://www.nycoffleash.com

Wet Nose Guide

Judy Starr Dog

    Rope-n-Go

Rope-n-Go

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