By Jim Minadeo, President of Zero Surge Inc.

Recently, I witnessed something outside my own home that I have not been able to stop thinking about. A tree came down and took power lines with it, blocking the exit to my cul-de-sac. Two of the lines were tangled under the tree causing arc flashes as the wires connected due to the rain acting as a carrier of power. Even after the power went out of our homes, the wires were occasionally flashing under the tree limbs. The danger was obvious: a fallen tree, wires on or near the ground, and no clear way through. Yet several drivers still tried to maneuver around the scene, putting themselves dangerously close to a hazard that can kill without warning.

That moment was a stark reminder that many people do not fully understand how dangerous a downed power line can be. A wire does not have to be sparking, buzzing, or visibly moving to be energized. It can spark and then spark again a few minutes later. Electricity can travel through the ground, through a tree, through a fence, through a puddle, or through a vehicle. By the time someone realizes the danger is real, it may already be too late.

Downed power lines entangled in tree debris.

Assume Every Downed Line Is Live

The safest rule is also the simplest: if a power line is down, assume it is live. Do not inspect it. Do not try to move it. Do not drive over it. Do not touch anything the line may be touching. Call 911 and the local utility, then stay far away until trained professionals confirm the area is safe.

What You Should Do If You See a Downed Power Line

• Stay well back from the wire, the tree, the vehicle, the fence, or anything else the line may be touching.
• Call 911 immediately and report the location clearly.
• Warn others from a safe distance, but do not put yourself in danger to block traffic.
• Never assume a wire is safe because it is not sparking or because the power appears to be out.
• Keep children, pets, and bystanders away from the area.
• If a line falls on or near your vehicle, stay inside unless there is an immediate threat such as fire.

Intersection where event took place.

Do Not Drive Around the Incident

When a tree blocks a road, it is frustrating. When that tree has taken power lines down with it, the situation changes completely. Driving around the scene may seem like a small risk, especially if other cars are doing it, but a vehicle can become energized if it contacts a live wire or an energized object. A road closure caused by downed lines is not an inconvenience; it is a life-safety perimeter.

Pole with transformer and loose wires.

Utility pole with missing wires.

How Our Incident Was Managed

• I called 911 to report the wires down and sparking.
• I reported the outage to the power company.
• The local fire department came out to examine the scene and set up road blocks.
• About 20 minutes later, a tree company came over with special tools to untangle the lines from the tree. They did not remove the branches, just pulled the lines.
• Another 30 minutes after that, the power company came to assess. Two of the three lines had been pulled away from one pole but were still connected to the other pole.
• They checked each pole, then attached ropes to pull up the wires and reconnect them.
• They added power to the town grid section by section until they got to these poles and after checking, reconnected the switch to energize our homes about 4 hours after the initial damage.
• The next morning the fire department cleaned up the rest of the branches.
  

  Utility workers in action.

  A Simple Rule: Stop, Stay Away, Call for Help

  If you remember nothing else, remember this: stop, stay away, and call for help. Stop before you get close. Stay away from the wire and anything touching it. Call 911 and the utility company so trained crews can secure the area. Your destination can wait. Your life cannot.

  The incident in my neighborhood could have ended very differently. Thankfully, it became a warning instead of a tragedy. Please talk with your family, neighbors, employees, and friends about downed power line safety before the next storm or falling tree creates an emergency. The few seconds it takes to stop and stay back may be the decision that saves a life.

  Restoring the power lines.

  Workers holding the line.

  Tree clean-up.