If you see a downed power line, stay far back, warn others and call your utility and emergency services. Here is what official guidance says.
- Treat every downed line as live and stay at least 10 metres (33 feet) away.
- Call 911 and your utility, and keep others back.
- Stay in your vehicle unless there is fire, then jump clear with feet together and shuffle away.
After a storm, a line lying on the ground or hanging low can look harmless. It is not. A downed power line may still be live, and the ground around it can carry electricity too. Many storm related electrical injuries happen to people who simply got too close or tried to help. The rule is easy to remember: treat every line as live and stay away.
This guide summarizes widely shared advice from utilities and emergency agencies. Always follow your own local utility and emergency services if their instructions differ.
Stay back and keep others back
Utilities in Canada commonly advise staying at least 10 metres (about 33 feet) away from a downed line, which is roughly the length of a bus. In the US, similar guidance is often given as about 10 metres (30 feet) or more. Keep even farther away if you can. The exact distance quoted varies by source, so read your own utility's guidance and use the larger number when in doubt.
- Do not touch the line, or anything touching it, such as a fence, tree, puddle or vehicle.
- Do not try to move a line with a stick, rake or anything else.
- Keep children and pets back, and warn neighbours and passersby.
- Do not drive over a line or park near one.
Water, wet grass and metal can carry electricity. Wet ground after a storm makes the danger bigger.
Call for help
Call 911 or your local emergency number to report a downed line, and report it to your electric utility as well. Give the exact location, such as the street address or nearest intersection, and mention if a line is on a car, a building or a road. If the line is sparking, burning or touching something that is on fire, say so. Do not wait for the power to "go back on" before you report it. A line can be live even when your home is dark, and it can re-energize without warning when crews restore service. See alerts and outage reporting for how to reach your utility.
If a line falls on your vehicle
Official advice is to stay inside your vehicle if you can. The tires do not make you safe, but the vehicle is the safest place to wait. Honk the horn, wave, or phone for help, and warn people not to approach. Wait for the utility to confirm the line is de-energized before you leave.
The only exception is fire. If the vehicle catches fire and you must leave, official guidance says to jump clear with both feet together, without touching the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then keep your feet together and shuffle or take very small hops away from the vehicle, so you do not create a path for electricity between steps. Keep going until you are well clear, and do not return to the car.
Other hazards after a storm
Lines may be hidden under fallen branches, snow, ice or floodwater. Treat any tangle of wires or debris near poles as a possible hazard. Stay out of flooded areas where lines may be down, and avoid standing water near power equipment. If a tree is leaning on a line, leave it alone. Cutting or moving it can put you in contact with a live wire.
If you are using a generator, do not connect it to your home wiring unless a licensed electrician installed a proper transfer switch. Backfeeding can send power onto lines and seriously injure line workers. Our guide to transfer switches and extension cords explains the safe options, and portable generator safety covers placement and carbon monoxide.
Prepare before the next storm
Save your utility's outage and emergency numbers in your phone and on paper. Teach children the rule: if you see a line down, stay far away and tell an adult. After storms, walk your property only after checking from a distance for hanging lines. For more on staying safe during storms, read the thunderstorm and tornado outage guide and our what to do when the power goes out page.
Quick answers
How far should I stay from a downed power line?
Many utilities advise at least 10 metres (about 33 feet), and farther if possible. Check your own utility's wording.
Can a downed line be dead?
Never assume so. It can be live even when the power is out, and it can re-energize without warning.
What if a line falls on my car?
Stay inside, call for help and warn others to keep away. Leave only if the car is on fire, by jumping clear with feet together and shuffling away.