Treat all lines as live, keep well clear and report all damage immediately.

If you spot damaged power poles or downed lines, always treat them as live. Keep everyone, especially children, well clear of the area.

If a car has hit a pole and brought down lines, the safest way to avoid electric shock is for the occupants to stay in the car until help arrives. If you are at serious risk from another hazard, such as fire, and must leave your vehicle, jump well clear. Do not touch the vehicle and ground at the same time.

If you tangle an item in a power line, never try to remove it yourself.

In any instance where you’re concerned about damaged poles or lines, you should contact us IMMEDIATELY. Call 0800 248 148 to report the damage, treat any lines or cables as live, and keep everyone away from the area by at least 10 metres if you can.

In high winds, power lines can clash, causing bright flashes and loud bangs. While this isn't necessarily dangerous, it can cause potentially damaging power surges and outages – so please let us know if you witness this.