Electrical Emergency? Be Prepared.
We learn to “stop, drop, and roll” during a fire, but what would you do during an electrical emergency? Considering the widespread presence of electricity, protocol concerning safety should be commonplace. Unfortunately, awareness of electrical safety doesn’t match the ubiquity of electricity. Here are some tips to help guide you through an electrical emergency of any caliber.
Fallen Power Lines. Don’t touch the power line, and don’t touch anything that might have come in contact with it (dteenergy.com). You can never be too careful when it comes to fallen power lines. Keep your distance, and immediately call 911.
Power Outage. A power outage can sometimes be fixed by simply resetting the circuit breaker (dteenergy.com). If this solution didn’t work, turn off all appliances that were on before the outage. Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed to ensure your food can stay preserved for as long as possible. Now that some preventative measure have been taken, the only thing to do is call your electricity provider and simply wait for assistance.
Electrical Fire. Your first instinct might be to throw some water on the fire, but this is actually the last thing you would want to do (lippoliselectric.com). Since water is conductive, when it come in contact with electricity, it could give you an electric shock! In the case of an electrical fire, you should first cut the source of the fire. If the fire persists, extinguish it by smothering it with a blanket or using a fire extinguisher. Lastly, call 911 to ensure the fire is completely out.
Electric Shock. Turn off the electric source if possible, staying away from the wires regardless if the power is on or off. If someone has been shocked, do not make any direct physical contact with them. Use a long non conductive rod or stick to separate the shock victim from the source (lippoliselectric.com). The longer they are in contact with the source, the more the severity of the shock increases, so acting quickly is key. Once separated, call 911.
Want to know more about electrical emergencies? Call Butler Electric for more information. Whether you are a business or homeowner, we are wired to serve.
