BAY VIEW, Wis. — A weekend power outage in Bay View and Walker's Point left dozens of businesses and homes without electricity for four hours, forcing some to close their doors and lose revenue. The culprit? Mylar balloons tangled in power lines.
Community Bark, a dog grooming business in Bay View, was among those affected. Employees had to turn away customers with appointments when their equipment suddenly went dark.
"It kind of threw a wrench in everything," said Arlo Sturrock, an employee at Community Bark.
The business typically buzzes with activity as groomers work to keep pets looking their best.
Watch: Mylar balloons cause power outage, costing Bay View business hundreds in revenue
"We kind of did what we could with the dogs that we had in and then anyone else that did come in we had to be like 'we know you had an appointment we're really sorry but the power's out,'" Sturrock said.
According to the owner, Community Bark lost over $700 in revenue that day alone.
We Energies reports that Mylar balloons have caused more than 120,000 outages over the last five years. So far this year, nearly 14,000 customers have lost power for approximately 153,000 minutes due to these metallic balloons.
Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) is now proposing Senate Bill 360 to address the issue.
"When [Mylar balloons] hit a power line, it actually creates a shortage and a fire with the power lines, and it continues burning until the line goes down," Carpenter said.
The proposed legislation would prohibit the release of 10 or more Mylar balloons and create a $500 littering fine for violations.
For those who still want to use balloons for ceremonies or celebrations, Carpenter suggests alternatives to releasing them.
"If people have them they can donate them afterwards after the ceremony for someone to either a nursing home, or a childcare facility something like that where they can be reused," Carpenter said.
We Energies encourages customers to follow these safety tips when handling balloons:
- Never release balloons outside
- Make sure balloons are tied securely to a weight
- Keep balloons away from power lines
- Don't touch balloons entangled in wires
Carpenter hopes to bring the bill proposal to his fellow legislators soon, aiming to keep the lights on for businesses like Community Bark and residents throughout the area.
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