Tips on dealing with a range of emergency situations, from working safely with standby generators to coping with the aftermath of floods.

Downed Wires. High winds or lightning may blow over power poles and down wires.

Electrical Safety During a Flood. If your home or business has been flooded, electrical hazards may exist long after the water dissipates.

Standby Electrical Generator Safety. When a power failure does occur, a properly sized and well-maintained standby generator can be a life saver.

Downed Wires

If you happen to be in your vehicle in a storm when lightning or high winds cause an electric wire to fall on your car; your first instinct may be to leave the car.

Wait!

Try to drive the car away from the scene if you can. If this is not possible, and if there is no immediate danger; stay in the vehicle until professional help arrives to rescue you.

The car is grounded: you are safe as long as you remain inside.

Warn anyone outside of the car not to touch it.

If you must leave the car, do not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Hop, with feet together as far away from the car as possible-- don't simply open the door and step out. Before you jump, make sure there is no electric wire in the area where you plan to land. Remember too, if it's raining or wet, electricity can travel through water so jumping into a puddle could be dangerous.

When you jump, try to break your fall by keeping your knees bent, then roll when you hit the ground.

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Electrical Safety During a Flood

If your home or business has been flooded, electrical hazards may exist long after the water dissipates. Even if water is not visible in a building, the interior structure may be soaked and still present an electrical hazard. Do not enter flooded basements or buildings that may contain energized electrical wiring or electrical appliances.

Before re-entering the premises, contact Manitoba Hydro to ensure it is safe to do so. Have a qualified electrician inspect all wiring before turning power on.

If your basement floods, do not attempt to turn off the main power switch. Notify Manitoba Hydro to disconnect power at the pole. Stay clear of anything that could conduct an electric current such as metal pipes, metal ladders, and even damp wood.

Note that there is no charge for flood-related electrical services performed by Manitoba Hydro for customers residing in our inspection jurisdiction.

Electrical Cleanup Procedure

• The main electrical panel must be cleaned, dried, and tested to ensure the integrity of the insulation.

• Circuit breakers that have been submerged must be replaced. Any circuit breaker removed after being submerged must be destroyed because it may not operate safely.

• Replace all high limit protection devices in heating equipment that has been submerged such as electrical furnaces and hot water tanks.

• Replace all devices such as receptacles and switches that have been submerged in flood water.

• Do not use any appliance, heating, pressure, or sewage system that has been subjected to flood water until the electrical components of the appliance or system have been thoroughly cleaned, dried, and inspected by a qualified electrician.

• Before turning on the power, have a qualified electrician inspect all wiring that has been subjected to flood water. Even if your basement did not suffer water damage, the interior structure may be soaked and can still be a good conductor of electricity.

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Standby Electric Generator Safety

Unavoidable events such as ice storms, high winds, equipment failures, and accidents can create power failures.

This risk is particularly high in rural areas because of the greater distance between consumers, resulting in more miles of electrical distribution lines being exposed to severe weather and other hazards.

When a power failure does occur, a properly sized and well-maintained standby generator can be a life saver. Electricity can be restored within minutes with a manual start generator, or in seconds with an automatic-start unit, allowing normal activities to continue.

Safety Tips for Portable Generators

• Portable standby generators for urban or rural homes generally range from 4 000 - 12 000 watts.

• Here are some key safety tips to follow if you have one of these units:

• Never operate a generator in your house, garage, or other enclosed building. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, and deadly gas.

• Good ventilation for your generator is critical, since overheating will damage the generator and render the warranty invalid.

• A typical 3500 watt generator burns about 2 litres of fuel an hour at full load.

• Note that stored fuel creates a fire/explosion hazard. Under the National Fire Code, only 5 litres may be stored in a residential dwelling, or 30 litres in a garage/shed. Call your local Fire Department for requirements in your area.

Safety Tips for Larger Standby Generators

Larger standby generators usually develop 8 000 watts or more. They are engine driven or tractor driven (using the power take-off or PTO on the tractor), and may have automatic or manual starting systems.

Here are key safety tips for operating these generators:

• Keep all guards and shields in place to protect the operator from moving parts.

• Never shut off the generator when under load.

• Following severe weather, always check for downed wires. Running a generator could energize them.

• Always repair or service your generator with the engine stopped and the starting system disabled.
  On an automatic start generator, this means locking out the switch gear and automatic transfer switch on the generator you are repairing or servicing. This makes sure that the generator does not try to start if an outage occurs when you are doing your work.

• Before you service a generator driven by a PTO , turn off the tractor and disconnect the PTO.

• On PTO driven units, always set the tractor brake before starting the generator.

• Use extreme care in wet conditions. The output voltage of a generator can cause a fatal electric shock.

• Treat the output cables or terminal box wiring of a generator with respect. They have the potential to kill you or a family member.

• Do not allow a child or unqualified person to operate or connect the generator to any circuits.

• Never store fuel near the generator, unless you are using a proper container or fuel tank. Note that stored fuel creates a fire/explosion hazard. Under the National Fire Code, only 5 litres may be stored in a residential dwelling, or 30 litres in a garage/shed. Call your local Fire Department for requirements in your area.

• Never re-fuel a generator when hot, or while the engine is running.