Electric emergencies don’t often occur, but if they do, it is important to be ready. Knowing what to do in an emergency will help you and your family live better… and safer!
If an electrical injury or accident does occur, follow these procedures immediately:
- Call 911 for help and follow their instructions.
- Have first-aid supplies on hand and easily accessible.
- De-energize the circuit at the breaker panel.
- Make sure you are in a safe zone – not in contact with any electrical source, away from downed or broken wires.
- Never grab the person or pull the person off the current with your hands; you might become part of the circuit and become injured as well.
- If trained, administer first aid or rescue breathing and/or CPR; know what to do. If possible, take a class to prepare yourself.
- Do not move the person in case of injury to neck or back unless they are in danger.
- Keep the victim lying down, warm and comfortable to maintain body heat until help arrives.
- If the victim is unconscious, put him/her on side to let fluids drain.
- Make sure the victim receives professional medical attention (person shocked could have heart failure hours later)
- If the person is in contact with a live outdoor power line, immediately call Victory Electric at 620-227-2139.
- If a power line is down near your house, don’t touch it! Call us immediately, and stay at least 20 feet away from the area
- Keep utility and medical emergency telephone numbers handy.
What to do:
- Always assume the power lines are live and dangerous.
- The safest place for a person if their car has struck a utility pole is inside the vehicle. Unless a fire has occurred, do not get out of the vehicle until the lines have been de-energized.
- If there are other passengers in the car, communicate with them that the safest thing to do is to stay inside the car. Even one person exiting the car incorrectly could put you all in danger of electrocution.
- Don’t touch the inside of the car. Sit still in your car with your hands in your lap. Take extra care not to touch the frame of your car, which is very possibly charged with electrical current.
- Call 911 or Victory Electric to de-energize the lines.
If a fire does occur:
- Make absolutely sure the car is on fire. Evacuating your car is risky, so you want to be 100% sure that your car is on fire before exiting. If you see smoke but no flames, watch the smoke to make sure that it isn’t exhaust coming from your car. Smoke is thick and won’t dissipate quickly, whereas exhaust will fade into the air.
- Jump out and away from your vehicle and land with your feet together. Make sure no part of your body or clothing touches the ground and the vehicle at the same time. Cross your arms over your body to make yourself as small and compact as possible.
- In small shuffling steps move at least 30 feet away from the vehicle. The ground could be energized shuffling will decrease the chance of electrical current entering your body through one foot and out the other.
If you witness a downed power line on a car:
- Stay in your vehicle, or if on foot stay far away (at least 30 feet) from the power line. The ground may be energized.
- Don’t take risks as a bystander, such as approaching the vehicle or the power line. Even without direct contact with them, you can still be severely and fatally shocked.
- Call 911 or Victory Electric to ensure help is on the way.
- Always assume the power lines are live and dangerous.
- Never try to move a downed power line, even if you think the line is de-energized or if you are using a non-conductive item.
- Call Victory Electric right away to de-energize the lines. You can reach us at 620-227-2139.
Situation:
Someone receives a shock from an appliance like a toaster or a power drill.
What to do:
- Don’t touch the person, because you could get shocked or injured too.
- Call 911.
- Unplug the appliance, or turn off the power at the main switch box.
- Keep the person warm and lying down until help arrives.
Situation:
Someone receives a shock from touching a fallen power line.
What to do:
- Don’t move the power line or touch the person, because you could get shocked or injured too.
- If a power line is down, don’t touch it! Call us immediately, and stay at least 30 feet away from the area.
- Call 911 and Victory Electric right away. You can reach us at 620-227-2139.
- Make sure you are in a safe zone – not in contact with any electrical source, away from downed or broken wires.
- Never grab the person or pull the person off the current with your hands; you might become part of the circuit and become injured as well.
- If trained, administer first aid or rescue breathing and/or CPR; know what to do. If possible, take a class to prepare yourself.
- Do not move the person in case of injury to neck or back unless they are in danger.
- Keep the victim lying down, warm and comfortable to maintain body heat until help arrives.
- If the victim is unconscious, put him/her on side to let fluids drain.
Situation
A hot light bulb gets too close to something flammable and sets it on fire. Or, insulation on an overloaded cord melts, which exposes live wires that spark a fire.
What to do:
- Leave the area and call 911 right away if you don’t think you can extinguish the fire.
- Make sure everyone leaves the building.
- If the fire is still small (for example, confined to an appliance), unplug the appliance or turn off the electricity, but don’t touch the appliance.
- Never put water on an electrical fire, as it could make it worse. Use a fire extinguisher recommended for electrical (class C) fires.
- If the fire has affected your service entrance wiring or your meter, call Victory Electric as soon as possible.
- In the future, make sure you keep a chemical fire extinguisher on each floor of your home. Also, plan an emergency escape route and discuss it with your family. Confirm that everyone knows where to meet, then practice “fire drills” regularly.