What to Do In Case of an Electrical Emergency
Having Las Vegas electricians from calliduselectric.com come over to inspect your electrical system is one way of minimizing the chances of an electrical emergency occurring in your home. However, you still need to be mindful that electrical emergencies can happen at any moment and therefore must know the proper steps to take whenever you find yourself caught in such situations.
The following shows the steps to take in case of an electrical emergency.
Electrical Fires
A number of things including exposed cables, wires that overloaded and having an appliance set off flammable materials may cause electrical fires. Here’s what you should do if an electrical fire breaks out.
1. Get everyone inside your home out and have them stay at a safe distance away. Ask every member of your household account for everyone and help make sure that no one is left inside the house.
2. Call 911 or ask someone else to do it.
3. Tell the operators your exact home address and help them out with directions to ensure that they get to your site immediately.
4. If you still have time to enter your home safely, get to your electrical panel and switch the main power off. You need to exercise good judgment in this regard.
5. Under no means should you try to put out the fire yourself unless you had proper training. Never use water to douse the fire.
6. Electrical fires require a specific kind of fire extinguisher particularly the Class BE type. If you have trained how to use the fire extinguisher, use it to put out the fire and then wait for the fire brigade to arrive.
7. Consult with the fire brigade regarding the next steps that you should take after they have safely extinguished the fire.
Electrical Shock
Electrical appliances near water, exposed and frayed electrical wiring, and faulty appliances are some of the major causes of electrical shock. If any member of your household suffers an electrical shock, try your best to keep your nerves in check and follow the steps below.
1. Run to the main electrical panel of the house and switch off the main power source. Fight the urge to touch the victim until you have made sure that the power to the home is off. If it will take too long to get to the breaker, use a wooden rod, a PVC pipe or any other insulated object to break the contact between the victim and the source of the shock.
2. Call 911 or have someone do so if you are unable to.
3. Place the injured person on his back and tilt the head back.
4. Check for pulse and breathing. Administer CPR if needed until help arrives.
Fallen Power Lines
Treat fallen power lines as being live all the time and you should keep a safe distance away from them. When you see any downed power lines for any reason, do the following:
1. Make sure you are at least 40 feet away from the fallen power lines. Check if there are other power lines dangling or hanging on tree branches.
2. Keep away from trees if there are any in the area as the lines may be hanging on them.
3. Alert anyone around you to the power lines and have them do the same. Help keep others away from area where the downed power lines are.
4. Contact 911 or the utility provider’s emergency line to report their fallen power lines.
5. If you are in your car, stay inside until help arrives. Get out only after the emergency personnel tell you that it’s safe.
The most important thing to keep in mind in case of an electrical emergency is to remain calm. This will help you think more clearly and make the right decisions. It will also help a great deal if you have emergency items such as fire extinguishers and flashlights, as well as first aid training to help you deal with emergencies better.