Power Line Safety
Power lines knocked down by blizzards, high winds and vehicle accidents can be deadly. If you see a downed power line, make others in the area aware of the situation and call your power company immediately to report this problem. Accidentally contacting a power line can be dangerous and in some cases, even deadly. Your Touchstone Energy cooperative wants to help our members stay safe around power lines.
Keep a safe distance
Whether you are playing outdoors with your children or working on landscaping projects, keep a safe distance from power lines and other equipment your co-op uses to get electricity to your home.
Assume fallen wires are live wires and might be dangerous. Don’t touch anything that may be in contact with the downed wire. Driving over fallen lines can result in damage to your cars tires.
If a wire falls on your car and you’re in the vehicle, stay inside the automobile if possible. If you must get out of the vehicle, jump clear of the car with both feet together. If one foot is in the energized car and the other foot is in contact with the ground, your body will act as a conductor of electricity which can cause injury or death. In addition, contact with overhead wires, or an object touching the line, can cause serious injury or death.
Always remember to:
- Stay away from power lines, meters, transformers and electrical boxes.
- Don’t climb trees near power lines.
- Never fly kits, remote control airplanes or balloons near power lines.
- If you get something stuck in a power line, call your Touchstone Energy co-op to get it.
- Keep a safe distance from overhead power lines when working with ladders or installing objects such as antennas.
- Never touch or go near a downed power line.
- Don’t touch anything that may be touching a downed wire, such as a car.
- Keep children and pets away.
Power Line Hazards and Cars
If a power line falls on a car, you should stay inside the vehicle. This is the safest place to stay. Warn people not to touch the car or the line. Call or ask someone to call the local cooperative and emergency services.
The only circumstance in which you should consider leaving a car that is in contact with a downed power line is if the vehicle catches on fire. Open the door. Do not step out of the car. You may receive a shock. Instead, jump free of the car so that your body clears the vehicle before touching the ground. Once you clear the car, shuffle at least 50 feet away, with both feet on the ground.
As in all power line related emergencies, call for help immediately by dialing 911 or call your electric utility company's Service Center/Dispatch Office.
Do not try to help someone else from the car while you are standing on the ground.