What to Do in an Electrical Emergency

Electrical emergencies don't give you time to research the right move. Know what to do before it happens — these steps could prevent a fire or save a life.

Smoking or Burning Wires

1. Turn off the main breaker immediately if it's safe to reach it
2. Get everyone out of the area — smoke from electrical fires is toxic
3. Call 911 if you see flames or the smoke is heavy
4. Call an emergency electrician — do not turn power back on until the source is found and fixed

Never use water on an electrical fire. Use a Class C fire extinguisher or leave and call 911.

Sparks from an Outlet or Panel

A single small spark when plugging in a device can be normal (it's current seeking ground). Repeated sparks, large sparks, or sparks with a burning smell are not normal.

1. Stop using the outlet or switch immediately
2. Turn off the breaker for that circuit if you can identify it
3. If it's coming from the panel itself — turn off the main and call immediately

Complete Power Loss

Not all power outages are emergencies — sometimes it's RG&E. Here's how to sort it out:

• Check your neighbors — if they have power, the problem is on your property
• Check your main breaker — it may have tripped. Reset it once. If it trips again immediately, call an electrician
• Check RG&E outage map — if your area is listed, it's a utility issue
• If power is on at the meter but not in the house — this is a service entrance issue. Call an electrician

Arcing Breaker

If you hear crackling, popping, or buzzing from your electrical panel — especially combined with flickering lights — that's arcing. This is a serious fire hazard. Turn off the main breaker and call an electrician immediately. Don't try to diagnose or reset individual breakers.

Water and Electricity

Flooding or water intrusion near your electrical panel, outlets, or service entrance is an emergency. Turn off the main breaker before entering any flooded area. Do not restore power until an electrician has cleared the system.

The One Rule That Covers Everything

When in doubt, turn off the main breaker and call an electrician. Power can be restored in hours. Fire damage, structural damage, and injuries take much longer to recover from. The $150 dispatch fee for an emergency call is worth it every time.