I. Summary
This policy establishes personnel safety awareness and procedures at the scene of electrical hazards. During deployment, district or mutual aid personnel shall follow these procedures when working around energized electrical power transmission lines and sources at Incidents.
The scope of this policy does not necessarily include aspects of vehicle fire suppression or extrication. For example, automobile car battery cables may be cut when an appropriate tactical hazard assessment is made. In all vehicle fire tactics and safe operation on vehicle incidents, refer to the standard practices as they apply in those circumstances. Note: Vehicle air bag and electrically powered cars are an emerging technology that will see more frequency in the future; again, this policy is not intended to circumvent safe practices at vehicle incidents as electrical car technology increases.
II. Definitions
A. Electrical Hazard: Any circumstance when an energized electrical power source may possibly come in contact with a responder, bystander or citizen.
B. Power lines: Any electrical power transmission line regardless of size. Note: all power lines will be considered to be energized until a utility worker from the power company (PG&E) declares that the lines are no longer energized.
C. Underground Transmission Lines: Power lines as described above, except that they are buried underground rather than over head on poles.
D. Transformer: A device that changes voltage (either to increase or decrease it) for electrical service delivery.
E. Home Generator: Usually a privately owned, commercially available device, either portable or fixed that generates electricity on a premises. These can be found in house or in business occupancies. Note: awareness of potential hazards associated with home generators are addressed in Section V, Paragraph B of this policy.
III. Procedure
A. Notification In the event of Power lines downed or sagging
1. Upon detection or notification of potential involved energized electrical hazard at an emergency, immediate notification shall be made to the immediate supervisor, or the Incident Commander (IC). The Incident Commander (or if the IC is not yet designated or present, the individual first detecting the electrical hazard), shall notify the Emergency Command Center (ECC) at Camino.
2. ECC shall follow the radio notification and alert procedures as defined within the dispatch policies of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). This notification typically takes the form of a series of Hi-Lo tones broadcast, followed by a transmission of all parties to acknowledge that lines are down.
3. All parties will be notified that an energized electrical source is involved and shall acknowledge having received this information.
B. Initial Actions
1. Notify the ECC as outlined above.
2. All personnel are to be kept away from the immediate vicinity of the involved power lines, a minimum of 25 feet. The following guarding actions shall be enacted:
a. A qualified firefighter shall be posted as lookout to guard and over watch the electrical hazard.
b. Flag the immediate area of the involved power lines or electrical hazard, with warning tape or similar signaling device, such as cones.
c. Restrict all personnel from coming within a minimum radius of 25 feet of the electrical hazard.
3. All power lines are to be treated as live until confirmed to be de-energized or disconnected, by a utility company representative.
4. Power lines are not to be moved by District personnel, even if declared as dead. Personnel involved in scene lookout duties shall restrict the movements of all persons to prevent them from contacting the electrical hazard.
5. Even when notified that lines are de-energized, personnel shall refrain from touching or moving them. Only utility company personnel (PG&E) are to handle these lines.
C. Cutting of Energized Electrical Wires:
1. District personnel shall not cut any energized electrical wiring, no matter the size or voltage being carried. If it is uncertain whether wires are energized or not, it will be considered energized and not cut.
IV. Guidelines for Emergencies Involving “Wires Down”
A. When no fire is present, isolate the area, treat all wires as energized (including telephone wires as they may cross with power lines), and stand-by until Pacific Gas and Electric arrives. Units will normally remain unavailable for other calls for service. If a second call is received, it is permissible to leave one firefighter at the scene with a hand-talkie and safety cones or other signaling device and respond to the second call.
B. If there are numerous calls of this nature due to high winds or storms, it may be necessary to request other units or agencies to stand-by (i.e., Police, if available, or public works if available).
V. Heightened Situational Awareness
A. Power outages, such as caused by storms or wildfires, are to be regarded as times of heightened situational awareness with respect to the potential of electrical hazards. Power lines that are down and previously de-energized, can suddenly become energized without the knowledge of emergency responders.
B. Residences or businesses with electrical generators (either portable or fixed) without the ability to be isolated from the domestic electricity service pose a potential hazard. With the electricity off, people will sometimes plug their home generator into the electrical outlet, thus powering their home; in turn this can energize the electrical system outside their home if not isolated from the overhead lines. If this current feeds back to a transformer, power can be stepped up causing the lines previously down and thought de-energized to become energized, posing a hazard to responders.
C. Fences can come into contact with downed electrical lines and should be regarded with caution.
D. Vehicle Accidents involving power & utility poles are always a special concern with regard to observing if power lines are down.
E. Any structure fire with a severed electrical drop service line or any open electrical circuit is a cause for concern. Utility company representatives should always be summoned to this scene as outlined in the policy. The presence of overhead electrical lines when using pike poles, tools and ladders should always be noted, observed and avoided.
F. Securing the utilities at any structure fire should always be considered by responding firefighters and domestic electricity isolated at the breaker if appropriate on the incident.
VI. Use of “Signal Words” and Procedures
A. The signal words “EMERGENCY TRAFFIC, LINES DOWN” shall be used over the tactical frequency and / or the command frequency, to announce the presence of power lines down by any fireground personnel to indicate the presence of an energized electrical hazard caused by power lines down where they can be contacted by emergency responders. An acknowledgement of the hazard will be made of this transmission over the air, repeating back the nature of the hazard to the sender.
B. The presence of the electrical hazard will be announced by any fireground personnel who observe or detects its presence.
VII. Incident Commander Responsibility:
A. Acknowledge traffic from ECC that lines are down, and / or confirms that ECC has acknowledged a call that lines are down from fireground personnel.
B. Confirm that ECC has announced this hazard warning on Command Net, identifying the location of the hazard.
C. Confirm that all incident personnel operating on the applicable Tactical Net that this hazard has been received and acknowledged.
D. If not already done so, confirms that PG & E has been notified of power lines down at the incident scene.
E. Confirms that all applicable procedures described within this policy are being complied with. The IC may also institute any measures consistent with safe practices, including the assignment of an Incident Safety Officer or as many Assistant Safety Officers as he / she may deem necessary.