ANAHEIM, CA (October 22, 2007) - Anaheim Public Utilities welcomed two fifth-grade classes from nearby Franklin Elementary School for a first-hand look Thursday at public power and electric energy during its special celebration of Public Power Day at the Downtown Farmer’s Market. Earlier in the week, the Anaheim City Council proclaimed Oct. 7-13 as Public Power Week in Anaheim.

Among activities enjoyed by the more than 60 Franklin students were utility bucket rides over the downtown area; hands-on operation of the Utilities’ pressurized hose equipment; educational demonstrations by the Utilities’ electrical field staff; an interactive opportunity to experience the Hazard Hamlet, which teaches students the dangers and hazards of improper use of electricity within their homes; and a chance to spin the Utilities’ wheel for various prizes.

“This was a great learning experience for our students, and we thank the Utilities Department for inviting our classes for this special field trip,” said Tammie Bernal, fifth-grade teacher at Franklin. “Although they enjoyed all of the morning activities, I think the bucket truck rides were definitely their favorite.”

To calm any initial fears the students may have had about soaring above the crowd over downtown Anaheim,, Bernal volunteered to take the first ride. When she finished, the assembled students recognized her adventure with loud cheers and quickly got in a line for the next ride.

Anaheim residents also received information about electric services and energy-saving tips, free shade trees, and rebates and incentives through the Utilities’ Advantage Services. Utilities staff distributed energy-saving kits to the first 100 guests who arrived with a flyer that was printed in local newspapers the week of the event.

“Public Power Day provides us with another vehicle to reach out, not only to our customers, but also to the youth in our community, and help educate them on the benefits of living in a community in which the utility is publicly owned,” said Marcie Edwards, general manager for Anaheim Public Utilities. “Having a publicly-owned utility allows us to make decisions locally, use our resources that best suit our needs and keep our electric rates well below those of neighboring cities.”

Public Power Week is celebrated annually by Anaheim Public Utilities, along with more than 2,000 other electric utilities that collectively provide electricity on a not-for-profit basis to 44 million Americans.

Photo Captions:

Lining Up—Students line up for their bucket truck rides under the Public Power Week banner.

Hazard Hamlet—Johnny Monge learns about the dangers of improper use of electricity from Utilities staff member Maria McCann at the Hazard Hamlet demonstration.

Pressure Hose—Kia Frazier-Humphrey gets a lesson on how to use a pressurized hose from Utilities electric field representative Jeff Robison.

2 Bucket Riders—Gregory Santana and Irene Ortiz pose with electric field worker Ray Bradley before climbing aboard the bucket ride.

Future Electricians—Natalie Godinez (left) and Amy Ramirez get a hands-on feel for some electric troubleshooting tools.

Spinning the Wheel—Dixie Sosa tries her luck spinning the big wheel at the Utilities booth.