Your safety is our number one priority.

Some households use a backup generator to supply them with power during an outage. Proper installation of generators is essential to prevent a house fire and to avoid electricity feeding back into power lines and endangering the life of a neighbor or line worker. Each year, electrical-related incidents result in more than 41,000 residential fires, claim about 370 lives and cause over 1,400 injuries. These incidents also cause more than $680 million in property damage annually.

Please follow these guidelines if you are considering buying or using a generator:

• Before you buy a generator, make sure it's the right size for your needs.
• Always have a licensed electrician install the generator. 
• The generator must be connected to your home's wiring through a special transfer switch to be sure electricity produced by the generator does not back feed into electric lines.
• Generator exhaust is deadly, so it's important that the unit be vented outside.

For additional generator safety, please click American Red Cross Generator Safety Information. If you have any questions, call Heartland REC at: 1-888-835-9585 and ask for Member Services