Always assume a downed wire is carrying electricity, which can severely injure or kill you.

Important

Touching a power line can cause serious injury or death. You can’t tell by looking whether a line is “live” or “hot” or not. Even if a downed line isn’t actively sparking, always assume it is carrying electricity.

  • Stay at least 300 feet away (about 1 1/2 telephone pole lengths) from any downed power line, and don’t go near the pole or anything touching the line.
  • Call 911 immediately if a power line is down. (Note: please use this option only if you actually see a downed wire. Do not assume that because your power is out there must be a wire down somewhere.)
  • Warn others to stay at least 300 feet away from the line until help arrives. Keep pets away, too.