On arrival at a scene with power lines on a vehicle and road, you should

• A. Call 911
• B. Approach with PPE
• C. Have dispatch alert the power company
• D. Ignore hazard

Answer: (C)

De-energizing and securing the scene around live power lines is a specialized safety step that must be handled by trained utility personnel. The best action is to have dispatch alert the power company so they can shut off the electricity and establish a safe perimeter. Once the lines are de-energized by the proper crew, responders can approach with care and patients can be treated without the ongoing risk of electrocution or arc flash.

Approaching with PPE isn’t sufficient here because PPE doesn’t make it safe to handle or be near energized lines, and you can’t confirm whether the lines are truly de-energized or what the ground conditions are. Ignoring the hazard puts everyone at risk. Calling 911 is important for medical emergencies, but the immediate priority at a scene with downed power lines is to involve the utility to disable the live electrical source.