Table of contents:
- Tips to prevent electric shock during a flood
- 1. Be careful when walking in flooded areas
- 2. Turn off the electric current
- 3. Stay away from power cords
- Try to replace electrical equipment after a flood
Floods that hit most areas of the capital and surrounding areas at the beginning of the new year killed more than 2 people due to electric shocks or shocks. In fact, electric shocks are still a threat when floods inundate. In order for you to avoid this danger, there are several ways to prevent electric shock during a flood.
Tips to prevent electric shock during a flood
Flood is one of the natural disasters that can pose serious dangers when power lines are submerged in water.
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, seawater or water containing salt components can damage cables and equipment that protect electricity.
This is due to the corrosive nature of salt water, which damages the coating of the cable and causes electric shock.
Sometime after the flood occurs, usually the company will turn off the electricity to prevent shocks.
However, because the flood comes suddenly, you need to equip yourself how to prevent electric shock during a flood just in case.
Here are the tips:
1. Be careful when walking in flooded areas
One way to prevent getting electrocuted during a flood that you need to pay attention to is to be careful when walking in the area.
Electrically charged devices that are submerged in water can provide energy to the water so that it has the opportunity to carry out quite a dangerous shock.
Therefore, when your house or neighborhood is flooded, look around you. Pay attention to whether there is a device with an electric charge that is still on or not.
At home, for example, check carefully whether your refrigerator or television is still connected to electricity or not. If so, stay away from the area as much as possible so that you don't get electrocuted when walking near it.
2. Turn off the electric current
Apart from being careful when walking, another tip to prevent electric shock during a flood is to turn off the electric current.
However, of course this must be done by a professional considering doing it yourself is quite risky. This is even more so if you have to turn off the electric current between puddles because of the potential for shock.
Therefore, if you cannot reach the circuit breaker safely, contact the power supply personnel to turn off the power on the house meter.
Even though the electricity is usually turned off when the flood arrives, there's nothing wrong with trying this method just to be sure.
3. Stay away from power cords
Source: Eco-Business
Preventing electric shock during floods can also be done by keeping a distance from electric cables. Floods are more dangerous when they occur near a power source with sufficient power.
Therefore, you need to keep a distance from the power source of about three meters if possible.
You can also prevent electric shock by cutting tree branches and placing them near electric poles. The goal is so that the flow of electricity can be stuck in the branches of the surrounding trees.
Try to replace electrical equipment after a flood
Source: Mind Fire Computer Services
After the floods have receded, it is also important to check several electrically charged devices in your home. Is something broken and needs to be replaced or not.
This is because after the flood, there are several items that may need to be repaired. On the other hand, there are also many electrically charged devices that need to be replaced so that their safety is maintained.
Damage that is corrosive due to water can enter electrical equipment and can damage its internal parts.
Repairing it immediately before wearing it helps prevent you from getting electrocuted after the flood is over.
If some of the items below are flooded, it's a good idea to check their condition again or replace them with new ones, such as:
- Circuit breaker and electric fuse box
- Power cable
- Light switches, electric heaters, and other light fixtures
- Hot water tank
- Washer and dryer, hot water pump, refrigerator and vacuum cleaner
- Electronic equipment, such as computers and televisions
In essence, try to stay away from all sources of electricity when the area where you live is flooded. This aims to prevent electric shocks during floods which can endanger lives.
