Hamilton
Bermuda
Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO) is advising caution when flying kites around the island.
“When most people think of kite flying, they might think of the tradition of making a paper kite and a fun activity,” stated Shelly Leman, Managing Director of Transmission, Distribution and Retail. “What might not be immediately at the forefront of their minds is safety. It might surprise people to learn that flying kites can be dangerous if they don’t follow proper precautions.”
Among those precautions is a reminder to fly kites in open spaces, far away from power lines,
“If a kite string or tail becomes tangled in a power line, it poses a risk for the person flying the kite and anyone who attempts to remove it. The best means of avoiding this hazardous situation is to fly your kite far away from power lines,” continued Ms. Leman. “If your kite does somehow become caught in a power line, it is vitally important that you do not try to remove it yourself. Call 955 and BELCO will remove the kite safely.”
BELCO has a long history of teaching schoolchildren about kite safety, with its annual kite safety campaign now in its 32nd year. While BELCO representatives ordinarily visit P1 and P2 students in each primary school around Bermuda, the campaign changed this year to accommodate COVID-19 protocols.
“We sent a Zoom-style video to all the schools to play for the schoolchildren,” stated Ms. Leman. “It is so important for them to have this information that we did not want to cancel the campaign completely, so we modified it. Our annual kite safety poster competition is also running this year and we can’t wait to see the students’ artwork.”
For more information about the BELCO Kite Safety Poster Competition and kite safety tips, please visit www.belco.bm