Thank you to all the volunteers who reported 52 hazardous wires in March!

Here’s a small sample of the wires reported by PEDS volunteers:

PEDS’ Wire Hunt sparked discussions with Georgia Power that have resulted in some positive steps.  Hazardous wire reports submitted through PEDS’ website will soon be sent to Georgia Power directly.  If Georgia Power technicians identifies a wire as belonging to Comcast, AT&T or another utility, they will notify that company to fix it.  Several utility companies connect their wires to Georgia Power’s poles.  We appreciate Georgia Power’s willingness to take a leadership role in helping to hold other utilities accountable for cleaning up their wires.

We also held two random prize drawings for people who reported wires in March.  Congratulations to the winners!

Lyubov Zuyeva won a $75 gift certificate to Phidippides shoe store and a PEDS “My way or the highway” t-shirt.

Lauren Rock won a high-tech pedometer, a $25 gift bag from Trader Joe’s, and of course a PEDS t-shirt.

Remember, you can always report wires and other pedestrians hazards through PEDS’ online hazard tool.

Background

In February 2006, John Lamb, age 40, sustained fatal injuries when his bicycle became entangled with loose utility wires hanging from a pole located at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Peachtree Battle Avenue. Witnesses said the loose wires had been hanging for several months and obstructed most of the sidewalk. Four months later, a young child who was playing on a sidewalk in the south side of Atlanta lost his leg in another incident involving loose utility wires.

The family of John Lamb hired Richard W. Hendrix of the Atlanta law firm Finch McCranie, LLP to investigate his death. A retired FBI agent who investigated the scene determined that numerous other sidewalks on Peachtree and nearby streets were also obstructed by loose wires hanging haphazardly and dangerously from utility poles.

In December 2007, the Lamb family settled the wrongful death suit they filed against Georgia Power, Bell South, and the City of Atlanta. In hopes that some good emerges from the tragic loss, Finch McCranie, LLP made a donation to PEDS to enable us to raise awareness of the dangers caused by poorly maintained utility wires and to increase the capacity of our online hazard reporting tool.

In honor of the donation made by Finch McCranie, LLP and to help prevent future injuries, PEDS is pleased to coordinate this Wire Hunt.  PEDS volunteers have found and reported over 250 hazardous wires.  With documentation in hand, PEDS is able to prompt the City and utility companies to clear the wires from the sidewalks.