On Monday afternoon, during the fifth period, the power cut out in SHS. The power outage didn’t last longer than a minute before it quickly turned back on. Though students were left confused and hoping for an early dismissal, the power was not disrupted the rest of the day.
The cause of this blackout was revealed only a period later. A squirrel had chewed through an electrical wire. According to Principal Sodl’s announcement, the hungry squirrel with an acute taste for danger had unfortunately met his “demise.”
“I’m really hoping it’s not Nutty Buddy, our art department squirrel who eats from the dumpster outside room F10,” expressed art teacher, Sarah Cepin, “He was in the musical playbill”
It’s safe to say the students at SHS got lucky. Chewed wires can result in fires, and after last year, another fire is the last thing anyone in this school wants to see. The administration has taken great precautions since last year, implementing new safety measures including bus evacuation drills and safe meeting spots in the football stadium. It’s safe to say that if there had been more dire consequences to this rodent’s electric appetite, the students in SHS would have been prepared and ready.
This close call serves as a reminder to be careful around wires and other electrical devices. Exposed wires can be dangerous to pets and can easily be mistaken for chew toys.
As explained by MspcaAngell, “Christmas lights, floor fans, cable/internet, and phone chargers” are the most common types of wires an animal might decide to gnaw on.
“Squirrels are the number one cause of power outages in urban areas,” explained George, STEM adviser and Tech Ed instructor. “They sit on top of the transformer (the crest barrels on utility units) which have high currents of electricity flowing. So when they sit there eating their tails hit the contact and cause power outages.”
Make sure to keep electrical wires out of the reach of animals, children, and anything else that might get hurt if in contact with electricity.