Smart Meters Fire, Living Hell and Bureaucratic MessesBy Catherine J. Frompovich Colleen contacted me with her story, asking if I could write an article about it. However, after reading it, I thought I would submit it in her trauma-stricken words, since I never could do it the justice her Smart Meter odyssey needs in every manner: morally, legally and financially. No utility customer should have to go through with the devastatingly unknown problems Smart Meters cause: fires, explosions, problems with insurance companies, housing displacement, etc.even some deaths due to Smart Meter fires. Nonetheless, it seems Pennsylvania state officials are turning totally deaf ears to consumer complaints about Smart Meters. One state legislator, Representative Robert Godshall, who chairs the Consumer Affairs Committee where Smart Meter Opt-out bills have been referred to, refuses to bring HB 394, HB395 and HB396 up for a vote. Apparently, too many state legislators want legal opt-outs from Smart Meters for Pennsylvaniansas other states provide. Furthermore, when Pennsylvania legislators originally voted and approved HB2200, which became Act 129 of 2008, Smart Meters would NOT be mandatory, but the PA Public Utility Commission has misinterpreted and overreached in implementation regulations making Smart Meters mandatory for every household and building in Pennsylvania. Thats illegal and has to be addressed by the Governor and the state court system. What follows is a story every utility company customer EVERYWHERE should read to know what happens when a Smart Meter is retrofitted on a homes metering panel and then malfunctions. Please take the time and learn from one familys excruciating and unbelievable Smart Meter nightmare. Now, I defer to Colleen. January 4th started off as a typical day for me. I woke up, made some coffee, filed some applications for jobs, started laundry, cleaned the kitchen and began preparing for an interview I had later in the day. I had gone upstairs to move laundry from the washer to the dryer and fold the clothes from the dryer when all the sudden the power went out. I figured no big deal, we have this happen all the time, and it will come back on. Sure enough, it came back on and then immediately went back off. I waited. It didnt come back on. So, I decided to go downstairs. As I got to the bottom of the stairs, I could hear this noise. It sounded like feedback in stereo speakers that had a pulse to it. I stood there at the bottom of the steps trying to determine where the noise was coming from, but it sounded like it was all around me. What happened next it happened so fast was a flash, like lightning inside my house. I literally cradled my head and dropped to the floor, while my dogs started going crazy. I waited for the popping to stop and I opened my eyes. With that flash, every lightbulb in my house had exploded! The old lightbulbs merely popped and shattered. Those new lightbulbs (CFLs) were on fire! I could see smoke, smell burning plastic. I had no idea what happened. My first reaction was to get my dogs and myself outside. My dogs were barking furiously at the front door, so I ran up to them. I looked outside and I saw a white pickup truck with the driver-side door open in my driveway. I quickly put the dogs outside in the back yard and ran back to the front door and outside. I ran outside just in time to see a man with yellow rubber gloves up to his shoulders and carrying a yellow bag walking to his truck. I yelled at him and said, What did you just do? He made eye contact with me, never answered and then ran to his truck, threw his bag in, closed the door, started the truck and left. When he had closed the door I saw a company logo it was Grid One. I stood in my front yard dumfounded and shaken. As I walked back to my front door, I noticed something hanging on my doorknob. It was a doorhanger that said PECOwe have successfully installed your new meter. I walked back inside my house. My chandelier that was on fire, no longer was on fire. I couldnt see fire. The smoke had dissipated. I couldnt see anything still burning, thank goodness. I looked at my computer; it was off; so were my printer and monitor. I walked into my kitchen no lights and the appliances were dead, even the clock on my oven. I walked down into my basement; the light didnt work. I grabbed a hand light and went back down to the electrical panel. No breakers were tripped! I put a new lightbulb in, but the fixture didnt work. I tried turning on my computernothing! Everything I looked at seemed not to be working. I was beginning to think I had no power at all until my well pump and heater kicked on. I grabbed the doorhanger and called the number on it. The number that said if you have any questions, please feel free to call. I had a ton of questions and I wanted answers! The woman I first spoke with acted like what I was reporting was no big deal. They would send somebody out. Now, when you call this number, you think youre calling PECO, but youre not. Youre calling GRID ONE and they claim they are PECO. So, the woman told me someone will be out shortly. Within a few hours a man named Nelson showed up at my door. I let him in and asked him what had happened. He said he didnt know. I said well lets ask the guy who ran from my house. His immediate response was he has been terminated. This was a matter of hours after the incident! I said terminated as in fired or terminated as in quit? He smiled and said, Hes been terminated. I decided to drop that issue and show this gentleman everything I had found that was not working: Lights, my computer, monitor, printer, scanner, router, wireless adapters, melted surge protectors, under-cabinet lighting, and my stove. My new Keurig coffee maker was dead too. We had only been in three rooms and my basement when he stopped me. He said, This is much more damage than what I usually see, so we will have to file a claim for someone else to handle. I said usually see? He said, Oh yes! This happens, but not this bad. He had a camera with no batteries, so I gave him batteries since I had them out because my thermostat batteries had to be replaced after the incident. He left saying Id hear from someone shortly. That was Friday early afternoon. In all this chaos, I missed my interview. I had completely forgotten about it. And I couldnt even call them because their phone number was on my dead computer. Nelson said I would hear from someone that day. I never did. By Monday, January 7, 2013, I still had not heard from anyone at PECO or Grid One. Over the weekend I had breakers tripping right and left. My heater breaker would trip, then my well pump, then my computer room, living room and right on down the line. The heater was running; it never stopped not running, but it was not heating the house. The only people who returned my calls were my electrician and my heater repair guy because they get paid. My heater guy was at a loss. There was air in my system and would reset itself then shut off. He was reluctant to do anything because he was afraid he was going to get electrocuted. My electrician arrived to what I was now referring to as my electrical nightmare. He was talking about possibly thousands of dollars in repairs and that was only due to what he could see. I couldnt afford that. I called Grid One to follow up on what Nelson had told me, only to be told they were not filing a claim that I needed to contact PECO. I contacted PECO only to be told I could file a claim but they expected me to make repairs and send receipts. That woman did NOT understand the magnitude of damage, or she assumed that I had a ton of money lying around. Not sure which. Then she started to tell me that statistically this doesnt happen often but when it does happen, I was responsible to make repairs and then they were would review the claim. That call got me nowhere. So, I decided to call the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) and file a complaint. I really thought after that call, things would take a different turn and my house would get fixed. I was wrong. The PUC did absolutely nothing. All that happened is PECO showed up at my house and told me the damage was my responsibility and to turn in receipts and they would review the claim. All the while I was experiencing more electrical issues and finding more damage. The craziest thing that occurred was I literally was shocked getting into the shower! I went to grab the nozzle to direct the water down and when I grabbed it, I literally got a jolt of electricity, my hand stuck, my knees buckled and down I went. I didnt take a shower after that, needless to say. When I came downstairs, I heard water and could hear popping. The main water line from my well had exploded and electricity was sparking from it. I dashed through the water to the main electrical panel and shut off the main breaker. I immediately called my electrician back and a plumber. Neither of them had ever seen anything like that. I paid for the plumbing repair and then my electrician told me I needed to file a homeowners insurance claim because the damage was escalating. And thats why we have homeowners insurance, right? I thought State Farm was my answer they were going to save me. I called the claims office and began telling the very nice rep what had occurred and what was still occurring and explained that this happened when they installed my new meter the SMART METER. That rep knew about problems with meters. She had me go outside to my meter and tell her what type, numbers, etc. Grid One had installed a Sensus meter on my home. That was the first time I had heard the term Smart Meter. She told me to Google Smart Meter information and it would corroborate all the horrors she had told me about on the phone. The first news story I saw said that PECO had investigated the meters and while they found no issues, they wouldnt be installing Sensus meters. That story was from October 2012, but PECO installed the meter they said they werent installing anymorein January 2013! The State Farm rep told me I was being assigned a claim rep immediately and I would hear from someone shortly. I heard from Mike at State Farm the next day and we spoke at length about all the damage, plus scheduled a time to meet the following day. The day he was supposed to arrive, Mike called to say he was no longer my adjuster and that my claim was being forwarded to comprehensive claim status and I would hear from my new adjuster. I asked what the reasoning was and what exactly a comprehensive claim was. Mike explained that they estimate claim values, and a comprehensive claim is typically in excess of $50,000 and subrogation involves third party. My new adjuster, Edgar, called and set up a time to meet me and my electrician at my home. Edgar said not to refer to him as Edgar, call him by his nickname, which reminded me of somebodys dog. Darren, my electrician and I werent quite sure what to make of him other than completely unprofessional and unprepared. Edgar only referred to me as honey and sweetheart for the first half hour or so of the walk through until I just broke down and told him to please not call me that. I found it very condescending and creepy, especially after his at-length story about root cellars, dungeons, torture, and sex slaves. Im completely serious. In fact, in his official reports to State Farm and his damage estimate, he refers to my basement as a dungeon. Edgars first visit to my home was at least three hours and he didnt take a SINGLE NOTE! When we pointed out he wasnt taking notes, he tapped the side of his head and said, its all in here. He left saying the damage wasnt too bad and hed have a check for me shortly. He told Darren to start making necessary repairs and for me to gather receipts. Edgar then proceeded a few days later to say the claim value was $3600. Darren told me his repairs were going to be more than that, and that I needed to hire a private adjuster. Then, I ultimately needed to hire an attorney. On a $200,000 damage claim, State Farm wanted to settle for $52,000. Why did they want to settle? Well, because they are losing their court battles for reimbursement from these utility companies over smart meter damage. Look into it; youll see Im obviously telling the truth. A few days after Edgars visit, he did provide a check for $3600. That was for damages of what he felt were covered by my policy. It seemed as though he was picking and choosing what to pay for, and what not to pay for, at random. At that point, keep in mind, we had no consistent source of water, no electric for refrigeration or food preparation, no heat and we were flushing toilets carrying water from our pool outside. I went and purchased kerosene heaters, a propane camp stove, candles and more candles. We showered at relatives houses, did laundry at families houses or a laundromat. You do what you need to do to survive. Darren finally rerouted one breaker in my house, so we had the ability to use extension cords in order to get some amenities back and try to get back to living in normal, humane conditions. During this time, I was reminded how people lost their minds when they lost power for 3 to 7 days after Hurricane Sandy. Seven days was nothing to us at that point. It was the middle of January 2013 when my electrician and I confronted Edgar about the condition of the house and how $3600 wasnt sufficient and that our living conditions were not acceptable. The confrontation occurred after reading my homeowners policy. I had one of the best policies that money could buy from State Farm! I had coverages that I didnt even know I had, like temporary housing! He let us suffer in this house, never mentioning what coverages I was entitled to. Once I mentioned alternate housing and Darren kept pushing on costs of electrical repair and how unsafe this house was, then he agreed to put us up in a hotel. That was conditional on my allowing State Farm to bring in an electrical engineer. I agreed to let them bring in an engineer, if it meant running water, hot showers and heat somewhere. Darren truly felt the electrical was unsafe and wanted the entire electrical system shut down, but Edgar said all electrical must stay on for the engineer to do his job. We checked into the Marriott Residence Inn: I, my children and two dogs. Just to be able to take a shower was heaven. Just to turn on a light, watch TV, not having to worry about where we were going to charge my phone or to worry about yet another electrical issue or a fire in the house. A few days after we started staying at the hotel, I met the engineer at my house. Edgar who was supposed to be there, never showed. I went through the entire house with the engineer, explained everything, and showed him everything that was damaged. He even called and spoke with my electrician. When the engineer finished, he verbally told me he was in agreement with my electrician, the house was not safe and that, indeed, all my wiring and light fixtures need to be replaced, as the damage he could see to wires was significant. Furthermore, he believed the wires in the wall would yield further evidence. He told me his report would be given to State Farm in a day or two and I would hear back from Edgar. He assured me that it was a pretty straight forward evaluation and not to worry; my house would be getting fixed in no time. I didnt hear back from State Farm. Instead, I heard back from the engineer who told me that State Farm questioned his initial report and that he would need to come back for another inspection and bring a certified electrician. He said that he was just doing what he was told to do. When I questioned him, since he was contradicting himself, he said Im doing what Im told to do. I need my job. When I spoke to Edgar about that, he said that was customary so I allowed the second inspection. I asked Darren to be present along with Edgar. Darren was there. Edgar said he didnt need to be there. That second interaction was completely different from the first. The engineer had gone from helpful and concerned to evasive and nervous, and unable to look me in the eye. He was only there for the certified electrician to complete an entire electrical inspection. It was during that inspection that Darren said, Colleen, they arent focusing on damage; they are focusing on looking at what isnt current electrical code. He then said, You need to hire an adjuster and fast. They werent looking for damage; they were looking for reasons to not pay for damage. Either the next day or the day following that, Edgar called me and told me that the only damage to my electrical system they could attribute to the surge was minimal, and that he would figure the repair cost. He said temporary housing was no longer going to be provided, as the engineer said my home was safe and habitable. Furthermore, all my breakers, except a few, that could be put back on, were put back on, and we needed to vacate the hotel immediately. When I told him I didnt feel safe going back to the house, he then told me then I didnt have to return but I would be financially responsible for the hotel bill from that point on. The sign on the door said the suite we were staying in was almost $400 a night. I couldnt afford the hotel stay. We had no option other than to pack up and leave. Ill never forget the day we were forced to leave the hotel. Neither will my sonit was the day before his 16th birthday and his birthday was ruined. Edgar knew it was Adams birthday. I had explained about switching party plans to the hotel and then those plans were undone with one phone call. Adam was so upset and, ultimately, we had no party other than cake, presents and dinner out the next day. You see Adam suffers from PTSD and an anxiety disorder. Any change in his surroundings or plans is a huge adjustment for him. Edgar knew this too; he just didnt care. Thats the impression I was getting from the beginning and continuously from State Farmthey didnt care. All the while, everywhere I turned Id see the State Farm commercial or jingle Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. I asked Edgar to provide me with a statement that my home was indeed safe for us to return. He literally laughed at me and said they couldnt do that. I asked for the copy of the second engineers report. He said he hadnt received it yet. He had concluded the damage of my home and the safety of my home after having a phone conversation with the engineer. That weekend I finally listened to Darren and contacted a private adjuster. The adjuster got involved immediately and coordinated a meeting with the State Farm adjuster after surveying the damage to my home. I believe the first estimate from my private adjuster was around $75,000. State Farm argued back and forth for weeks. My adjuster was making no headway whatsoever. While theyre arguing, were suffering living in a house in the middle of winter with no heat, bursting pipes, frozen pipes, etc. It was torture. If you want to torture someone, take away their heat in the dead of winter. Have you ever been so cold that you cant sleep or are afraid to sleep because you fear you might freeze to death or your kids will freeze to death? I have. Then, further, take away refrigeration, their ability to cook food. I cooked many meals outside in below freezing temperatures on a camp stove and grill. I cried through many meals and many nights. It was during this time living back in my home that I almost stopped sleeping all together. I was afraid to go to sleep while my children slept. I was afraid of a fire. Even though we had talking smoke detectors, I was still fearful. My kids would leave for school and Id catch a cat nap of an hour or twomaybe three. I couldnt seem to sleep past three hourshonestly. Two-and-a-half years later, I still cant sleep for more than 2 to 3 hours at a time. It was during this time back in the house Darren had rerouted an electrical circuit for us. I had four working outlets in my house. Woohoo! I went out and bought four 100-foot extension cords. I had a refrigerator againsuch excitementyou dont learn to appreciate something until you dont have it. We had an extension cord to the family room, so we could watch TV! Well that was the plan until the TV wasnt working and we realized the DVR was damaged. Then, I soon was able to check and see that every TV and piece of Directv equipment wasnt functioning. Only more appliances to add to the ever-growing list of things that stopped working after the meter incident. Then finally, I was able to set up a make shift kitchenin my living room. I wouldnt have to cook outside in freezing temperatures, rain and snow. I bought a hot plate, crockpot, toaster oven, new microwave. It was a somewhat normal kitchen under the circumstances. I was glad to have it. We still didnt have lights, but it was more than we had before. We were surviving by heating small areas of my house with kerosene heaters and then wed sleep in the family room. Our bedrooms became places we just went to get clothes, either to wear or to pack up to do laundry somewhere. Things by no means were great, but it was better than it had been. Better until the night of, I believe, February 22, 2013. I was up in my room packing clothes and trying to decide what to throw out, as so many of my clothes smelled musty and smelled of chemicals or burnt plastic. My daughter was doing the same in her room. All of a sudden, she came running into my room to tell me she saw lights flashing outside by the front of the houseblue lightswhite lightslike lightning. We ran downstairs and, through my basement door, I see my electrical panel sparking and popping, and then what little power we had, went off. I watched electricity shoot out of a copper pipe, the same well pump pipe I had already repaired. Immediately, I called PECO to report an electrical emergency and got everyone outside and waited for PECO to arrive. I frantically, and carefully, shut down the main power switch in the electrical panel. Its a miracle I wasnt electrocuted. Why did I shut it down? Because the lady on the phone told me I was responsible to secure the house. Really? That is happening and this lady is giving me a canned speech on liability. Yes! Really! So, I waited for PECO. And waited. Then I called PECO again and was told they were busy. I went back to the basement to check it again and still could hear electricity humming, yet we had no power in the house. Once again, water was all over my basement flooding out from the water supply and also from the heating system. I walked outside and I could hear electricity in the power line coming to my house. It was at that point I realized that the incident back in January that noise that I couldnt determine what it was before the flash of light was the noise of electricity traveling. Electricity makes a sound. Who knew? So when did PECO finally show up? A day later. My electrician and adjuster were there and left before PECO ever got there. PECO refused to meet with either of them. The PECO technician first looked outside and said he saw nothing wrong. He then came into my house and told me my panel had arced out and kept telling me the problem wasnt PECOs, it was my house. He kept shining his light on my panel and said, See all those blue sparkles. Thats whats left behind after an electrical arcing incident. He asked me who shut off my panel. I told him I did because I feared a fire. He asked me what all the water was from. I told him electricity came out of the pipes and that I saw it with my own eyes. He said, Well problems in the house werent PECOs problem. I argued that PECO created this problem. I told him what had happened back in January. He knew of the problems with smart meters, fires and surges during installation. And he flat out told me PECO would deny any responsibility. He was the first honest PECO person I had spoken to. He told me to file a homeowners insurance claim. I told him I did. He said, Thats the only way youll get things fixed, and he left although not before denying we ever had the conversation we had about his employer. His words were, I have bills to pay and I need my job, and people who rock the boat end up thrown overboard, if you know what I mean. Additionally, he told me about the whistleblower about smart meters, who was an installer. He said, That guy will never work again in the industry. While I can understand that, how many other PECO employees remain silenced out of fear? Id bet there are many. If you Google whistleblower about smart meters, youll find a few. Youll even find unlawful termination lawsuits. That is when I realized this smart meter issue was way bigger than just me. Way bigger than just PECO. Surges and firestheyre occurring worldwide. Its not just the Sensus metersits all the Smart Meters that are manufactured. Spend a few hours researching and youll see what I mean. So here we were again. Back to no water, no heat, no electric power again. Now its all out survival mode day in, day out. Everything had to be planned down to where and when we could shower. Trips made to buy ice. Trips to buy kerosene, bottled water, and more candles. Our lives turned upside down again. Homework was done by candlelight. Where to go to charge cell phones and laptops for the kids to do homework. You either adapt or you go crazy, or both. We borrowed a generator, but that was just too costly. Youd be surprised how quickly money is spent under those circumstances. Any savings I had was now gone. Looking for a job was/is impossible, theres no time for thatnot to mention no computer access. No television. We cant talk on the phone because you need it for an emergency. Buy more blankets, learn to layer clothes. Wear gloves, scarfs and hatsto go to sleep. After that incident in February 2013, it was March 1st before my private adjuster and my new attorney (hired at the urging of my adjuster) finally got State Farm back to my house to review the new damage and finally agreed to provide temporary housing. My new attorney asked for a statement of habitability and safety from State Farm. That was how we were provided housing. Housing that is completely covered in my policy! Housing that should have been provided from day one! We checked back into the Marriott only to find out that ALE, the company who works for State Farm, paid for a hotel for us since January. Crazy? (Feel free to contact the Marriott for those records.) I didnt understand how such an outrageous error could be made. I was furious too! Thousands of dollars paid for a hotel we were told to leave YET State Farm was refusing to reimburse me for food, appliances, meals, laundry, etc. Then all of the sudden, Edgar is abruptly changing his story that he never told us to leave. WHAT? Yes, that was now his NEW story. Unbelievable! But, I finally thought things were getting on track for my house to get fixed. I honestly did. While the hotel wasnt ideal, it was the Taj Mahal compared to my house now because the hotel was warm, had electricity and water. While I finally felt safe at the hotel, the lack of sleep and nightmares were still occurring. For the first time, State Farm asked for receipts to start reimbursing my personal expenses from this ordeal, which was around $15,000 at that point. Progress? No, just an excuse to formally deny paying them. State Farm was insisting upon restoring electrical power to the house because they could not determine damage without it. Edgar told Darren to start repairs and not to worry, he would be paid. To this day (June 19, 2015), Darren has never been paid. When the majority of repairs were made, State Farm said they could not determine which were caused by the original electrical event in January 2013. They refused to bring another engineer back in. I brought more contractors in to assess damage and got estimates only for State Farm to deny them and refuse payment for work to begin. Youd be amazed how many contractors dont want to work when they dont know if they are getting paid. (Sarcasm intended.) Darren, though, tried to help. He paid for many things out of pocket, and I would gladly furnish his contact information so you can speak with him. So, now were living in a hotel. Were crammed into a small hotel suite. I, my two teenagers, and two dogs were living in 800 square feet of hotel room space. At that point, Im in financial shambles. Im mentally broken but still trying to get through each day that seemed to bring more drama. It was the beginning of April 2014, and while still arguing back and forth with State Farm, I had an attorney to handle that. Then my mother got illvery ill. She was rushed from her nursing facility to the hospital and, even though she had many other ailments, what she now had was C-Diff. With all her other health issues, she just never recovered and she passed away a little shy of two weeks later. My mother was literally dying in the hospital and Edgar, who constantly says he cant be contacting me because I have an attorney, is contacting me. Why? Because he wanted access to my house again, and because if I didnt give him access, he was closing the claim. Im going to say that man has a real problem with women. It started from day one and continued. Id even go so far to say that if I were a man, my house would have been fixed. He told some bizarre story on one visit about Eve, the temptress, and how women were the downfall of men and ultimately the world. THAT was the mentality I was dealing with. The man apparently wasnt politically correct by the previous relaying of his intrigue over ancient cultures and fascinations with sex slaves and dungeons. Darren also was privy to those stories. So anyway, I met my attorney, Darren, and Edgar at the houseagain. My time would have been better spent with my dying mother. That meeting was a waste of time. I went back to the hospital and now I was dealing with my Mother, who was thinking she was dying and didnt want to die in the hospital, and was begging me to take her home with me, to die. I had to explain to her, as she was convinced she was dying, whats happened to the house. She had decided she was dying and now also was devastated that the house was damaged. She was upset that we were in a hotel. She was worried about her things in the house. Her health deteriorated after that, and she did die. The doctors and nurses were hopeful until she took a turn for the worse. It was like she gave up. My mother was a fighter. She almost died several times, but like I said, this time was different. She passed away, arrangements were being made and then Edgar wanted to meet at the house again. He always picked the date. I asked my attorney to schedule it for another day, since Edgar wanted to meet the day of the funeral. Even after he knew it was my Mothers funeral. I ended up meeting him the day after the funeral. My attorney advised me to provide State Farm with a death certificate, since my mother was listed on the deed. I did. Also, I provided him that same day with more receipts, since, per State Farm, I needed to start removing property from my house. I had to rent a POD and start packing up my house and belongings by myself so that walls and floors could be removed in order to look for damage. State Farm refused to pay for help to pack, packing supplies, etc. Par for the course. Their MO is you need to do this, you pay for it, and then well determine if were going to pay for it at a later date. If you dont comply with what youre told to do, they threaten with canceling the claim. So Darren was completing some electrical work per State Farm, and State Farm was refusing to review ANY other damage estimates from contractors and my private adjuster. My private adjuster decided that State Farm wasnt going to pay and, if they did, I wouldnt have enough money to fix my house, having to pay them and an attorney too. They turned over everything to my attorney. My attorney tried to negotiate the estimate with State Farm. They werent interested in negotiating. State Farm wanted to bring in a certified State Farm contractor. A company named ServPro. So, my attorney, I, Edgar and about 7 contractors with ServPro met at my home to survey the damage and come up with an agreed upon estimate of cost for repairs. It was through that meeting that I met David and Sean. They were subcontractors for ServPro. David is an electrical engineer and a certified electrician AND a previous employee of PECO! Sean is a General contractor, who has fixed his fair share of damaged properties or knew of several properties in the area that were damaged byyou guessed itSMART METERS! So, they gave me their cards in case I needed them for the future. Within days, they turn over their portion of the estimates to ServPro so ServPro can prepare a final estimate for me. Thats key herefor ME! Edgar made it quite clear: he could have NO interaction with them. ServPro was there on my behalf. Well, weeks went by and Im being told by Davita at ServPro that they are still waiting on estimates from their subcontractors. Plus now there are problems with the insurance policy and meeting code enforcement issues. You see, its May and at that point, I had no patience left with this entire process and my daughter was graduating from high school. I had scheduled a graduation party in my backyard in June! I had ordered the party invitations back in December before all this happened. And I had ServPro telling me not to worrymy house will be fixed by thenif they had to work every day. Finally, I got a phone call from David, who wanted to follow up on whether I had decided to have ServPro do the work. I told him I was told they were still waiting on estimates. He told me that he turned in his engineering report and his electrical estimate within days of the meeting,, and he had talked with Sean before he called me and that Sean turned his in as well. So, what was I waiting for then? So, David then sent me his estimate and Sean sent me his estimates, which total at that point around $140,000. I send them to my attorney. You know what ServPro was waiting for? They were waiting for Edgar to review the estimate ServPro prepared for me that Edgar was not even supposed to see until he got it from me. When I finally received the estimate from ServPro, it was for around $53,000. A far cry ($87,000 less) from the estimates turned over by David and Sean. Interesting? So my attorney advised this: Let State Farm cut the check, as more money can always be negotiated at a later date. So, finally State Farm issued the check; my attorney received it; and he called to say he received it, BUT we cant cash the check. Why cant we cash the check? Because State Farm has put my deceased mothers name on the check and dead people cant sign checks. So, my attorney pointed out their error. State Farm says its not an errorthat their process. My attorney returned the check and told them they were wrong and to resend a check. WE asked to have Edgar removed from my claim for his blatant errors and behavior. Then State Farm denies ANY knowledge of Mothers death and a receipt of a death certificate. Im going to assume they blamed Edgar. We had to give them another death certificate and then they would re-issue the check, and they would assign another claim rep. We furnished the death certificate; they assigned a new adjuster, Kyle, who needed to go over the ENTIRE claimAGAIN! They finally agreed to cut another check. By the time they finally did that, I held a graduation party at my house with porta-potties because my attorney and State Farm said if anyone were injured inside the house, State Farm wouldnt be liable. My attorney received the check from State Farm and called me with more bad news. Now theyve removed my Mothers name, but now its made payable to my mortgage company, my attorney, me and the Estate of my Mother, which State Farm says is their policy and now Ill have to file an estate in order to obtain the funds. I believe we got the check August 28 and they allowed 60 days for repairs, but said they would stop paying for the hotel on October 28th. They kept their word. They stopped paying EXACTLY on October 28. The check hadnt even been cashed. Ultimately, I was able to show that State Farm was wrong and I didnt need to establish an estate. By that time, we were back in the house, had had another fire in November of 2013, and were living with family members and friends. We were shuffling from house to house while leaving two dogs in an uninhabitable house. Now I must digress for another back story. In May of 2014, my mortgage company returned my mortgage payment. They claimed that I was in violation of my unemployment forbearance program because why? Because I was not residing in the house! They said I was not truthful to them, that State Farm told them I was residing elsewhere and I never should have been put on the program starting February 1st. So, in June 2014, they declared me in default, removed my forbearance and filed for foreclosure. I kid you not. So remember how furious I was and couldnt make sense WHY State Farm would continue to pay for a hotel after were kicked out? Suddenly everything made sense: the mortgage companys criterion was if I resided outside of the property for more than 90 days, I was in default. Coincidence? I think not. Since I was not at the house when the papers were served, I actually never received the papers. I did receive, in the mail, the county conciliation paperwork and signed up to begin that program. The mediator for that program was appalled and stayed the foreclosure. I can provide that documentation. He urged my mortgage company to negotiate SOMETHINGANYTHINGunder the circumstances. They refused. In fact, THEY wanted ANY and ALL insurance monies. Now you see why the mortgage company was put on those checks that were finally dispersed. Now let me digress further about another piece to this story. Back to the PUCthat PUC, who took almost a year to do nothing about my original informal complaint. The PUC, who said they sent documents, but obviously never did. I never got them. Neither did my attorney. I contacted the PUC again to follow up on my complaint to find out that its been closed. I have to file a new complaint. Why? Because all of the months there was no electric service or minimal electric, all the months we didnt live in the house, the electric bills were outrageously high! So now a high bill complaint had to get filed. PECO came out to investigate in August 2013, I believe. That technician agreed I was not using the power my meter was saying I was using it was impossible. That was before the fire. The fire was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2013. PECO agreed to credit me $1600 then, I believe, ultimately reversed that credit. After the fire, there once again was no electric service in my house, but I magically still showed electric usage. The service panel was finally put in the end of February. That was 2014. The PUC did nothing with that complaintagain! I complained again to the PUC about high bills and high usage for what I had in the house. It was almost an entire year later that I received anything from the PUC. PECO came out, I believe this past March or April 2015, and determined that my usage was correct for what they saw at the property. They listed every appliance that they saw, including my hot tub. Even though I told them the appliances were brokennot even plugged inthey were included in the use assessment. You see, according to PECO, if they are there, they have a potential for use. So, my dishwasher thats been disconnected because its still sitting there damaged, according to their formula, gets added in. My hot tub, which hasnt worked since the initial incident on January 4, 2013, doesnt even have a breaker for it in my panel, but it still counts. My heating system, even though it doesnt work, there is no breaker in my panel, it counts in their usage formula AND COUNTS against me. They compared previous years billings and theyre consistent with previous years. They dont take into account in previous years I had a washer and dryer, dishwasher, double oven, cooktop, 5 air conditioners in the summer, a pool, a hot tub, and a working heating system. Every electronic and device of comfort youd have in a typical 3800 square foot house in Yardley, PA , and then some. You get my point? Now I have a cooktop, an oven, microwave, 10 working outlets, a hot water heater (my hot water was my oil boiler before), I have 1 TV instead of 5. I have the wired electric service of a small apartment! A formal complaint has been awaiting a hearing date, which seems like forever. That is my current situation. I finally just got a working kitchen sink. That was my excitement for the month of May 2015. Prior to that, I had to use a 5 gallon bucket under the pipe in the kitchen, and then dump it in my ONLY functioning toilet. I dont have people over to visit me in my home; Im a hermit now. My house is in shambles, and Im too embarrassed to have anyone come here. One or two close friends only. Okay, so back to State Farm and their check payment. My attorneys head at that time was spinning trying to keep up with the mess of this situation. He said our only alternative at that point was to file a lawsuit and what a mess it was going to be. He started preparing at the end of November 2013. I believe it was officially recorded and filed in January of 2014. While he did that he explained that litigation is a long drawn out process and I needed to file a complaint with the Pennsylvania insurance commission in the interim so that maybe we could get some quick resolve there with State Farm. I needed to get some things fixed in my house, otherwise I was going to be homeless until we got to court. Theres a complaint listed there, if anyone wants to look that up. That complaint also includes the fact that State Farm illegally canceled my auto insurance without my knowledge. Seriously, Im not kidding. The insurance commission was of no help at all. Once they saw a formal lawsuit, they wanted no involvement whatsoever. If you check the Philadelphia civil court docket, you will see a civil suit filed against PECO, GRID ONE and State Farm. You can read a lot more of the story in that filing. Its public information. Its too large of a file to attach to an email. My children and I did not live in the house from February 2013 through November 2013. We moved back November 7, 2013 and had another fire the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, as I mentioned previously. We moved back in permanently in March of 2014. My home still is not repaired. Overall, the damage to my house is closer to $400,000 now. I need mold remediation, new carpets and padding throughout the house. I cant even get full estimates from people. Damage is so extensive, they want to be paid for estimates. I live under the constant threat of my electricity being shut off. They have shut it off because I cant afford the bills. PECO made me apply for their CAP program and then refused to process my application. They want to come back and inspect my houseagain. Not for my benefit or to be helpful, probably to gather more evidence for themselves for the lawsuit. Get thisPECO claims the meter on my house, according to their records, is the original meter installed on January 4, 2013. They apparently are doctoring records now. They have to be. I want to tell you these last two things and I can show you pictures too. One photograph is of a meter that I found behind a box by my electrical panel in my garage. I was cleaning the garage. It hadnt been cleaned since the Fall (2012) before this nightmare began. So I found it and started calling every contractor who had been to my house. No one is missing it. I turned that meter device over and what does it say on it. Property of PECO! PECO has never been in my garage with my permission! A second photograph is of a direct metering device that is attached to my transformer and the power lines to my house. A man in an unmarked van put it there. According to two fairly knowledgeable people, PECO had to have installed it since its attached to their equipment, but PECO has no idea what Im talking about. I refuse to let them on my property to evaluate usage again. I suppose this is their work around? Ive been told its a computer of sorts: it talks to my smart meter. Its a super grid device. Since PECOs super grid isnt complete, they do this? If Im to believe what Im being told, that device knows I woke up to my cell phone alarm at 7 this morning, brewed myself a cup of coffee at 7:10, and another at 7:25,.and another at 8. Then, I took a shower for 10 minutes and washed dishes after that. Thats an invasion of privacybut how much? Truth is stranger than fiction! I wont stay quiet any longer. Ive been pushed to limits that no human being should be pushed to. We have lived through the winters of 2013, 2014 and 2015 without heat. The house is overrun with mold. I have numerous contractors who are willing to speak to anyone on my behalf. Two-and-a-half years later, this has beenand still isa nightmare and an emotionally crippling time for me and my children. I need help. I need someone to listen to my story. There is much more to this story, but I feel like I have written a book already. Id like you to come to my house, see the conditions for yourself and hear from me and my kids. Please. I want to thank Colleen for contacting me and giving me and my editor permission to print her absolutely unbelievable story that began with the installation of a Smart Meter that the PA PUC and utility companies are mandating customers allow to be retrofitted on to their homes, and if not, electric power will be turned off. Those who dont allow Smart Meters are threatened with shut off of electricity, even though all their bills are paid in full. If customers file a formal complaint against PECO with the PA PUC, that complaint is automatically adjudicated by an Administrative Law Judge in favor of PECO. Is that a kangaroo court that foils for the utility companies and Representative Robert Godshall when, in fact, there should be NO Smart Meter mandates in Pennsylvania? The total irony about the Smart Meter issue is that the Pennsylvania state legislature did NOT mandate Smart Meters in the law they passedHB220 became Act 129 of 2008 signed into law by then-Governor Edward Rendell. All the problems stem from the PA PUC interpreting it as what the PA PUC believed the legislators wanted and implemented it as such in their implementation regulations for utility companies, which is totally illegal and whats called over-reach. No one can make laws in Pennsylvania except the state legislative body. The PA PUC has overstepped its agency powers, and must be prosecuted for that malfeasance, rather than the PUC prosecuting utility customers for non-compliance with what both PECO and the PA PUC contend is a valid law. Utility customers electric, gas, and watereverywhere need to know whats going on that is impacting their safety and daily lives regarding and stemming from Smart Meters. Catherine J Frompovich (website) is a retired natural nutritionist who earned advanced degrees in Nutrition and Holistic Health Sciences, Certification in Orthomolecular Theory and Practice plus Paralegal Studies.Her work has been published in national and airline magazines since the early 1980s. Catherine authored numerous books on health issues along with co-authoring papers and monographs with physicians, nurses, and holistic healthcare professionals. She has been a consumer healthcare researcher 35 years and counting. Catherines latest book,published October 4, 2013, is Vaccination Voodoo, What YOU Dont Know About Vaccines, available on Amazon.com. Her 2012 book A Cancer Answer, Holistic BREAST Cancer Management, A Guide to Effective Non-Toxic Treatments, is available on Amazon.com and as a Kindle eBook. Two of Catherines more recent books on Amazon.com are Our Chemical Lives And The Hijacking Of Our DNA, A Probe Into Whats Probably Making Us Sick (2009) and Lord, How Can I Make It Through Grieving My Loss, An Inspirational Guide Through the Grieving Process(2008) Where to start? I was so engrossed just trying to process all the information it was only at the end I almost burst into tears. I can only say to Colleen thank you for sharing your story and please, dont give up. Keep fighting. There must be some citizen action groups in PA, maybe even start your own support group, helping others in a similar situation might bring some small measure of relief, although I cant even imagine anyone being put thru more hell short of losing a family member due to a fire or electric shock or whatever. Which apparently has happened. Certainly the bureaucratic/insurance/corporate/govt/creepy-guy-on-your-case/legal maze part, if anyone has been put thru worse I shudder to think what that would entail. And thanks Catherine for bringing this to our attention. Good call on just publishing Colleens story in her own words. I really hope things turn around for her. Can you provide a link to the lawsuit? you need a man in the house to get things done. Sorry to say that.but you arent capable of handling a home. And no I didnt read the entire story. Not sure if this is BS or for real. Yeah.where is the link to the lawsuit? Anyone. you know why she isnt capable of handling a house asshole? cause a bunch of inept assholes installed a smart meter that fucked up her entire house and when she tried to get it fixed they just kept screwing her and screwing her. its assholes like you that we really need less of in the world, go fuck yourself Trash! You must be joking, right? (sarcasm). If you had bothered to read her story, she was managing her home and life just fine until a MAN from the utility screwed up when HE installed a smart meter on her home. Then more MEN handled the aftermath of the incident. Yeah, that Edgar guy was a gem; HE really knew how to get things done! The only thing the MEN who handled things in this case got done was to further ruin this womans life, heaping on insult after insult (both emotional and financial) for YEARS after the initial destruction. With one or two exceptions, those MEN were totally useless, wetting their panties over the threat that they might lose their jobs for DOING their jobs, which SHOULD have consisted of telling the truth and in the case of State Farm, paying the damn claim! Read the story, Boy-person, and then youll know. Or is that too much for you to handle? Azzhole. To all of you who have State Farm insurance: please mail this article to your agent and ask for him/her to check it out. I know I will. We dont have smart meters in my area yet, but they are coming in the not too distant future. ANY of us could suffer this same disaster. I have family in Tallahassee FL who were forced to have a smart meter, and every single one of them has been ill since their meter was installed. Extremely high bills too, but at least no fires. Yet. May God rain down hell on EVERY man or woman who has ever had anything to do with forcing these meters on the rest of us. Heres two for the price of bum: Obummers one and two, Barry and Michael be their names, marriage on the cards to be sure for eunuchsuh. Nice teeth, shlt for brains. Have you tried going to a news on your side tv station to shame them? How about a go fund me page to help pay for lawsuit? Hopefully you documented everything with pictures recordings. Good that your electrician was there for the creepy guy.So sorry you have to go thru this. Also did she ever call her state rep or senator? Those people can cut red tape fast. A truly sad and heartbreaking account. I know, I wish this road was never traveled Sometimes enough people have to see how cash has turned people cold hearted. I wish her the best and hope we can really begin to hone in on the root of these problems. Ourselves relying on humans who are just there for a check who works for a corporation who wants to screw someone over. Ive always known the most valuable thing on earth are the humans, but its much harder getting them to see that then you would think. That mold can kill them! I had State Farm, when another very rich, State Farm insured, persons car collided with my vehicle in 1970. He drove through a red light, and I saw him before he hit me, he was looking backward in the car. I also found out he was eating a sandwich, while he was driving. I had to be rushed to the hospital. If I had not slammed on my brakes..I would have killed an elderly couple, who testified in court. It took me 3 years to get to court. I won! But, because of all the small print on the insurance papers..I had to pay back almost everything they gave me, in the lawsuit. I ended up with $150 and my lawyer only got $75 for 3 years work. THAT is State Farm for you. Later, when I was a police officer, I ended up in the same court, with the same judge. He remembered me. He asked me to come up to his desk. He then told me that if I had used him, instead of a jury, he was ready to give me over $50k for the damage to me, and my car. The driver of the car had a FAKE heart attack on the stand, while pointing at me, calling me a teen aged hot rodderI am not kidding. Well..the jury felt sorry for him. The judge also informed me, that I had the right of way, even though I was turning. Because..the light was RED, and I needed to clear the intersection. I bought that car with my own moneyafter walking to work in the rain, cold, and heat just for the down payment. It was a 1969 350 Camaro. Anyone who knows about those cars would salivate over it. Because I was a young woman, and did not know much about cars, the Chevy company did a lousy job on the bonding, and paint and it rusted through. I eventually gave the car to my brother-in-law, since I was driving a patrol car home. STATE FARM is a rotten insurance company IMHO! I also ended up having to pay High insurance rates, after that wreck, because STATE FARM was able to get the police officer to say the wreck was my fault. Remember what the judge said about who was at fault? I now have USAA and have never had a complaint against them. They have been wonderful to me, since the 1980s! smart meter snoop and fire starter great now use up too much electricity and they burn your house down. Why are the officials so intent on installing these things and not removing them? Because it is part of the Agenda to bring in an Orwellian Global Surveillence State. Smart meters are the spy hub for the home. This is really about spying on everyone 24/7 so they can be controlled 24/7. The meter was installed without notifying the home owner. The power company installed the meter while appliances were running in the house, rather than ensuring everything was turned off before the new meter was installed. They would have known that this method of installation could cause a massive electrical surge (which indeed happened) but went ahead regardless. I think on those grounds alone this woman could sue them for well over the cost of tearing down and replacing the entire house plus mental and physical duress for the past several years. It is good that she has also very carefully documented the bizarre and downright cruel behavior of her antagonists throughout the ongoing ordeal. Theyll become much less arrogant when they fully realize that there is a large financial cost to them in law suits, and loss of customers for their so called electrical services, and insurance. The immorality and lack of basic humanity shown by installing these meters in the sneaky manner noted is of course the crux of the argument against these meters. The electric companies show in their behavior that they fully know how detrimental those fiendish devices are in terms of health and privacy. Go get them lady, sue them for millions, for yourself and for everyone else who may also be affected. And bless you for your courage. This is all bull crap. As I have pointed out many times to smart meter paranoids, the EMF from the meter is no more/no less than the EMF that permeates our modern civilization from hundreds/thousands of sources. And there is NO proof that EMF at these levels causes any health issues. I kinda suspect these people are shills for Monsanto trying to divert attention away from GMOs GMOs are a real problem EMF from smart meters non-issue. WTF are you talking about, did you even read the story? It said nothing about EMF causing health problems. How about you actually READ the story before you try to belittle people about concerns with EMF, or is that too much work? Just comment on anything that has to do with a wireless device and talk about paranoid people, no proof of harm, etc etc. You SUCK as a troll! Thank you Lori H Can I use your quote? [You SUCK as a troll] If you are dealing with a troll again, ask them this simple question. (At what distance is a disabled homeowners 100% SAFE from a 4 watt eirp AMI7 smart meter if they have an unshielded medical implant?) Have you ever seen any power company website with this warning??? Hmmmmmmmm I wonder why?? LOL, you can use that quote all you like I find it funny that these trolls will just sit there and spew insults and belittle any person and comment about concerns with EMF. They use words like fear mongering, paranoid and even tin foil hats, when they need to put their big boy pants on and back up what they are saying with actual studies proving what they are saying instead of flapping their lips with empty words and insulting people. I would call any person names that defends the rights of a power company to KILL disabled folks. TIN FOIL HATS. Im not sure if you were referring to me, but I wasnt defending anyone. Im personally against the fact that the Government and corporations are forcing these Smart Meters on peoples homes, and putting them on when the power to the house hasnt be shut off is so dangerous. It drives me nuts when the hydro company tells me its not necessary to have my power shut off for the meter exchange (which I let them know that the qualified electricians Ive talked to have told me the exact opposite). Im still waiting for my meter exchange, last I heard they had to send what little remaining analogues they had back to get cleaned (Im holding out for an analogue for many reasons, paying $32.50 a month to keep one). I called BS on that as I know they are still making them. As for the fires happening here in Canada, quite a few, but they are being denied that its even happening, any time one catches fire its removed quickly. Its all about the money, human health and quality of life means nothing to them. Its just sick. The best smart meter fire for BC Hydro is the RCMP members home on Vancouver Island. BC Hydro is smart enough to leave that one one alone, after all a RCMP members are federal employes , not a provincial employee like Derek Ward was. The fire report for that fire was listed as Ask BC Hydro about that. In fact ask them this question and ask for a response in writing. People like you are really good at belittling themselves I dont have to do it. And you SUCK as a Monsanto troll. As far as issues go, EMF is a non issue GMOs are a real BIG issue. There is no proof that ambient EMF levels cause any problems; there is proof that even small amount of GMOs do cause problems. Did I give my point of view on GMOs or EMF? Dont think I did, just pointed out that you clearly didnt read the story because your comment had nothing to do with what the story was written about. The fact that you are so quick to name call and belittle, and also quick to make assumptions shows me how pathetically narrow minded and immature you really are. Id love to see some valid studies to back up your claims (non industry funded of course) that MAN MADE EMF is a non issue (not to be confused with anything in nature that has been around for thousands of years), and the GMOs are a real BIG issue (again, not showing any opinion other than looking for information to back up your claims). Not sure if this will get posted, but I did find this link to many peer reviewed studies here regarding EMF. http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/science/studies.asp I am guessing you DO NOT HAVE A MEDICAL IMPLANT? How am I doing??? I had a run-in with this shill abinico about a year ago over Smartmeters (below is one of my replies). You seem knowledgeable about the technical issues. Are you aware of the dirty electricity aspect of these meters and related health problems? The very day our SM was replaced with an analog my symptoms diminished significantly and my wifes unusual health problems cleared up tooand we are the farthest thing from hypochondriacs you could get. There were tangible, radical health problems that surfaced and replacing the meter changed thatNO question about it. Do I have the specific technical expertise to explain the mechanics of it? No, But to me thats completely irrelevant. My own assumption is that the SMs being attached directly to your house wiring creates an electronic cage where the RF pulsing, and/or switch mode power supply creating dirty electricity, is saturating the home. There is also a possibility that poor wiring conditions in older homes exacerbates the problem. You are the wacko shill, speaking out the wrong end about something you only know from textbooks. I lived it. Well Mr bull CRAP why dont you answer a few questions for us ANY power company manager is NOT allowed to answer, so lets see how well you do. What is the distance to compliance for an AMI7 transmitter? At what distance is a disabled homeowner safe from: TVs (big time radiators), cell phones, WIFI, microwave oven, 60C power radiation, toasters, etc. And the power companies have lots of rights that we dont have dont like that, work to change the laws. And power company rights come from one fact: they are big, have lots of lawyers, and can crush any individual resistance. The only argument against smart meters is unverifiable individual testimony. Like I said before, and as I point out to ignorant people like you, we live in an ocean of EMF, and since the advent of pervasive EMF, human life span has increased. Big time TV 2 or less Can I quote from TWO of the unverifiable sources called the FCC and ITRON. You do know who these folks are I hope. https://fccid.net/document.php?id=1459908: Page 3, what is the do not install distance for your smart meter? This story does not make sense. Such extensive damages cannot be induced by a meter, be it smart or not. How many smart meter fires have you seen??? Why does a smart meter set fire to or burn every electrical wire in that home? Your smart meter is only rated at 48KWs, thats only 200 amps. Your average home these days have a 200 amp main breaker. The UL approved electrical breaker has been tested for safety. The only thing your smart meter has been tested for is [MEASURING]. I dont know what is the distance compliance you are talking about (I dont live in the USA) but this does not matter. It appears there was a coincidence between the two events (new meter and power surge) but it is probably a hasard,unless the new meter has been specifically designed to destroy a house electrical network! Technically speaking, I dont see how it could be done and it would be an insane policy to do that. If you dont know WHAT THE DISTANCE TO COMPLIANCE is, they why are you making any comments? Have you ever investigated a smart meter fire? They are horrible, the home is totally engulfed in under 5 minutes. #9 Smart meters are not UL safety approved. WHY? Do you know how many times I have had a fool from a power company tell me your new smart meter is just a SIMPLE UPGRADE??? Setting a home on fire is a simple upgrade? NOW do you want to discuss LACK of privacy? Ps The distance to compliance (the distance the radiation is too dangerous for a normal human) is 8 or 20cm. Now get with the program and do your homework first, FACTS always help us make informed choices. Your comment is irrelavent : doesnt fit at all the damages described and doesnt help at all to understand what happened. You are acting like a con man and are a waste of time. I am acting like a con man?? How do you figure??? Did you disagree with any of my facts?? If you did, how come you didnt disprove any of my facts with your facts? Come on, step up to the plate and prove me wrong. PROVE ME WRONG. You said doesnt fit at all the damages described What part do you disagree with??? The TRUTH or FACTS, which one??? Waste of time, you say??? Can you prove that???? How about LACK OF PRIVACY. Try this. Moody Meter Fire http://tinyurl.com/nvh89rb FIVE facts about your new smart meter. #1 It generates enough radiation in your home to have a warning from the FCC. RADIATION Implanted medical devices suffer interferrence. Google smart meter fires - About 245,000 results That means you are 13 times more likely to encounter a smart meter fire than a candle fire. Here are the numbers for candle fires: EVERY YEAR, CANDLES CAUSE MORE THAN 10,000 HOME FIRES. This is State Farms Standard Operating procedure. Please feel free to google the horror stories regarding their coverage. smart meter, pure Orwellian. these devices will be used to ensure compliance. Compliance for how you vote, to who you donate, to what you believe. 