"For the third straight year, elementary school students have submitted inspired, creative interpretations of our classic electric safety ad," said Chris Burton, vice president of electric operations for BGE. "We’re excited that every year, new generations of children are introduced to this important safety message and now are taking a part in sharing it with other kids."

Originally produced in 2000, the Emmy Award-winning "Wires Down" commercial with its "do not, do not, do not touch" refrain helps to raise awareness of electricity hazards and the dangers associated with downed power lines, especially among young children.

Twenty-four elementary schools in BGE’s service area are competing for the opportunity to win $10,000 toward school enrichment projects. Video submissions were accepted online from Sept. 8 through Nov. 14. Online voting opened on Nov. 24 and continues through Dec. 8. The videos with the highest overall number of votes, along with up to five merit-based videos, will advance to the final judging phase. Winning schools will be announced in January 2015.

Participating schools in the third annual Wires Down Video Challenge will have the opportunity to win the following awards: 

• BGE Star Power Award - $10,000
• BGE Spotlight Award - $5,000
• BGE Cast and Crew Award (awarded for most student effort) - $3,000
• BGE Director’s Cut Award (awarded to the most creative entry) - $3000
• BGE Golden Pipes Award – (awarded to best musical performance) - $3,000
• BGE Screen Gem Award (awarded to best entry in each county) - $1,000
• Rock The Vote! Award (awarded to the entry with the most votes) – Backpacks and safety gear

Visit www.bgevideochallenge.com to vote for your favorite entries in the third annual Wires Down Video Challenge.

In addition to the team-building and creative aspects of the video challenge, teachers can also download free educational materials on electric and natural gas safety and energy efficiency, including classroom lessons, teacher guides, experiments and games through BGE’s e-Smart Kids website.

Customers are always reminded to stay away from downed power lines and to report them immediately by calling 1.800.685.0123. Customers are encouraged to review and share the following electrical safety information with their families:

• Assume that all overhead wires are energized at lethal voltages. Never assume that a wire is safe to touch even if it is down, appears to be insulated or if power is out at nearby premises.
• Never touch a fallen overhead power line. Call BGE to report fallen electrical lines. 
• Stay at least 10 feet away from overhead wires during cleanup and other activities.
• If working at heights or handling long objects, survey the area before starting work for the presence of overhead wires.
• Likewise, avoid touching anything that may be coming into contact with an overhead wire, like tree limbs or other debris.
• If an overhead wire falls across your vehicle while you are driving, stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line. If the engine stalls, do not leave your vehicle. Warn people not to touch the vehicle or the wire. Call or ask someone to call emergency services.
• Never operate electrical equipment while you are standing in water.
• Never repair electrical cords or equipment unless qualified and authorized.
• Have a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment that has gotten wet before energizing it.
• If working in damp locations, inspect electric cords and equipment to ensure that they are in good condition and free of defects, and use a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
• Always use caution when working near electricity.

Visit BGE.com for more information. To access resources please visit the Wires Down Video Challenge site, the Electrical Safety page or the e-Smart Kids portal.