What should you do if you encounter a potential electrical hazard near water?

• A. Do not touch or approach the hazard; keep back and call for electrical utility or incident command to de-energize.
• B. Test the hazard with a nonconductive tool before approaching.
• C. Move the water away yourself to reduce risk.
• D. Proceed with firefighting while keeping distance.

Answer: (A)

Electricity and water create a dangerous combination because current can travel through water and wet surfaces, making any contact a potential shock hazard. The safest action is to stay back, keep others away, and call for the electrical utility or incident command to de-energize the circuit. If you approach energized water or equipment, you could become part of the current path, risking severe injury or worse.

Testing the hazard with a nonconductive tool isn’t reliable in real conditions—water, moisture, and equipment can still conduct or arc current, and you can’t be certain the area is truly de-energized. Moving the water yourself is likewise unsafe because you’d be creating or changing conductive paths and could draw yourself into the danger. Proceeding with firefighting while maintaining distance does not address the source of the hazard, and the scene remains live until power is shut off.

Establish a safe perimeter, await utility or incident command to isolate and de-energize the power, then proceed with operations once the scene is confirmed safe.