Love Is in the Air, But Foil Balloons Don’t Belong There

AKRON, Ohio – As Valentine's Day approaches, FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is reminding customers to handle helium-filled foil balloons safely to keep the energy alive. The metallic coating on foil balloons conducts electricity, and when released outdoors, they can hit power lines or other electrical equipment and cause outages.

While we’ve seen a decrease in the number of balloon-related outages in recent years, February is usually the time of year outages caused by metallic balloons increase. The balloons often accompany popular Valentine's Day gifts like chocolates, flowers and cards. Last year, foil balloons were to blame for 96 power outages across FirstEnergy's service area, with cupid striking more often in New Jersey:

• The Illuminating Company – 9 balloon-related outages
•  Ohio Edison – 16 balloon-related outages
• Toledo Edison – 7 balloon-related outages
• Met-Ed – 12 balloon-related outages
• Penelec – 9 balloon-related outages
• Penn Power – 4 balloon-related outages
• West Penn Power – 5 balloon-related outages
• Mon Power – 5 balloon-related outages
• Potomac Edison – 5 balloon-related outages
• JCP&L – 24 balloon-related outages

Safer balloon practices are helping: outages fell from 132 in 2020 to 96 in 2025, a 27% decrease.

Chad Stoneking, Director of Safety Operations at FirstEnergy: "Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest balloon-buying days of the year, and while they add a lot of fun to the celebration, foil balloons can cause real problems if they get loose. We’ve seen fewer balloon-related outages thanks to community outreach, but this special day is a great reminder to keep balloons secured and dispose of them properly. A few steps can help keep your loved ones smiling and the lights on for everyone in our local communities."

How to Celebrate Safely

 Celebrate holidays and events safely with these tips:

• Use caution and keep metallic balloons away from overhead electric lines.
• Securely tie helium-filled metallic balloons to a weight heavy enough to prevent them from floating away. Leave the weight on until the balloons are deflated.
• Puncture and deflate metallic balloons when you’re done with them. Never release them into the sky.
• Never try to retrieve balloons, kites or toys caught in a power line, substation or any other electrical equipment. Immediately call FirstEnergy at 888-544-4877 to report the problem.
• Stay far away from a downed or low-hanging power line and always assume they are energized and dangerous. Report them ASAP by calling 911.

A video discussing the hazards posed by foil balloons and tips for safe disposal is available on FirstEnergy's YouTube channel.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.