PARTY WARNING SOME BALLOONS CAN BLOW OUT POWER LINES.

Byline: Daily News

It takes just one errant metallic balloon to knock out power to thousands.

With graduation celebrations planned in the next few weeks in the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys, Southern California Edison is warning customers to be careful with metallic balloons, blaming them for a dramatic increase in power outages this year.

Since January, metallic balloons have caused 200 outages in the utility's service area, affecting approximately 285,000 customers, compared with 162 balloon-related outages the same time last year. These outages cause thousands of dollars of damage and affect thousands of customers each year. May and June are typically the busiest months for balloon-related outages, when graduation day ceremonies and parties, as well as Mother's Day celebrations, take place.

Edison recommends metallic ballons be restricted to indoor use.

``Drifting helium-filled metallic balloons can cause power outages and utility equipment failures, and, in some cases, can cause electrical overhead lines and equipment to fall to the ground, resulting in property damage or serious personal injury,'' said Jack Sahl, SCE's environmental, health and safety director.

The utility offers this advice:

If a balloon does become tangled in power lines, do not try to retrieve it. Call SCE and report the problem.

--Keep metallic balloons indoors, and never release them outside.

--It is unlawful to sell metallic balloons without a string weight.

--Never attach metallic streamers to any balloon.

--Don't bundle metallic balloons together.

--If you buy and fill your own balloons with helium, be sure to tie them securely to a weight heavy enough to prevent them from drifting away.