Who is responsible for de-energizing an electrical hazard near water?

• A. The incident scene commander
• B. The electrical utility
• C. The building owner
• D. The electrical utility or incident command

Answer: (D)

De-energizing electrical hazards near water is about getting people out of danger by cutting the power from the source. The electrical utility is the primary party equipped to safely shut off power to the affected lines or equipment, since they control the electrical supply and have the proper procedures and equipment. If time is critical for life safety and the utility can’t respond quickly enough, the incident command can direct or authorize a shut-off to protect people and responders, coordinating with the utility to implement it. The building owner typically doesn’t have the authority to independently de-energize the system. So, the responsible parties are the electrical utility or the incident command, depending on the situation.