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Trinidad Express wrote:
Shocking wall
Dibe residents afraid of electric fence near condos
Julien Neaves jneaves@trinidadexpress.com
Thursday, July 3rd 2008
Dibe residents afraid of electric fence near condos
An electric fence with the potential to inflict "a great deal of pain" on intruders has been erected at a housing development in St James, a sign of the times that some residents are not treating crime lightly.
Outside the wall, however, residents of Dibe Road, Long Circular, are concerned about the potential danger of the electric fence, which has been erected at a private housing development in the area.
The fence has been erected atop concrete walls around the perimeter of the "Meadows" housing project, and yellow signs with "caution electric fence" have been placed along it.
One of the walls with the fence runs alongside a residential house opposite the housing project. A 77-year-old woman living at that house, who asked not to be named, said she and her relatives were not consulted about the fence.
"I 'fraid that thing," she said, adding she would not allow her grandchildren to visit, fearing they would be harmed by it.
Another resident said he did not know the voltage of the fence-this was not on the caution signs-and feared it was fatal.
Another wall with the electric fence runs along the main road, and the Bellevue/Dibe/Dundonald Hill Community Council public relations officer Trevor Rullow believes this wall is "too low, too close to the public and adjustments should be made".
"That fence poses a danger to the residents of the area," Rullow said.
He noted that the road was the main thoroughfare and used by all residents, including schoolchildren. He said there were reports of sparks from the fence during the rains yesterday.
The fence was installed by the Electric Fence Company of St Clair. The company's general manager Maxine Cook told the Express in an interview on Monday, the day the fence was activated, that she had received two calls of complaints from residents about it.
She explained how the electric fence works-there is an energiser that converts 110 voltage into 7,000 to 10,000 volts of electricity. She stressed that the amperage-the strength of a current of electricity-is what is dangerous and in their fences, it is very low at 0.006.
"So it is not lethal at all," she added.
She noted that electrified fences have been around for 75 years around the world, in places such as Israel, England and the US, and have been used in airports, schools and universities.
"And there has never been one fatality connected with an electric fence," she said.
She explained that the fence works in pulses and if someone touches the fence, it does not hold the individual but it will repulse them, causing a "great deal of pain". Cook described the fence as more humane and aesthetic than razor wire or barb wire.
Commenting on concerns about the height of the fence, she said it was "perfectly legal" to install the fence, once casual contact was above five feet and within the boundaries of the property.
The company, a subsidiary of Venezuelan company Energico, started in 2006 and began operations in 2007. Cook said they have done about four installations so far.
One electrician told the Express he was shocked that the Government Electrical Inspectorate, which ensures that all wiring and electrical installation is certified as safe to the consumer, had approved the fence in a residential area.
Officials from the inspectorate were not aware of the electric fence on Dibe Road when the Express contacted them this week. One official said another fence should have been erected in front of the wall with the fence, preventing contact with the public.
It could not be confirmed whether the electric fence broke local laws.
The electrician said the Bureau of Standards has been developing standards for this country, and the regulations usually referred to locally were those of the internationally-known Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Rullow said residents plan to meet on Saturday to discuss the issue and will lodge a complaint with the inspectorate.
soundboy101 wrote:So what is the complaint about, it have a 5 or 6' wall bellow the fence, so u only getting shock if you trying to get over the wall.
pablo_tt wrote:Judging from the pic RASC, the way it has been constructed, you'd only be shocked if you have serious intentions on entering the property
pablo_tt wrote:Another question to rory (not attacking, but jus asking) Would you agree that the same scanario witht he kite coming into contact witht he gate would just be as risky as flying a kite and coming into contact with overhead lines?
Rory Phoulorie wrote:pablo_tt wrote:Another question to rory (not attacking, but jus asking) Would you agree that the same scanario witht he kite coming into contact witht he gate would just be as risky as flying a kite and coming into contact with overhead lines?
Yes. That's why I deleted the post because of those types of answers (brain is working slow today).
Sky wrote:For electricity to be lethal, it has to pass through your heart at a speed of .385 amps ( so I was told). The current on that fence is 0.006 amps. A Potato pushes more than that for chirst's sake. Yes the voltage high, bu its harmless, more of a big annoyince to someone climbing it. Typical Trinis. They see thing and assume it dangerous, like a buncha village folk. If yuh gran chirren see the sign and wanna play fass, let them get a lil bzzt.
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Trini full of midgets or what? 7 ft for a wall is SHORT 
