An electric power line is constructed differently than a phone or TV cable. The power line is bare wire, while the phone and TV cable is a bundle of small wires contained within a plastic jacket. As a result, if a tree falls into a power line, it shorts out the line and either causes the circuit breaker to trip back at the substation or blows a fuse down the block. Either way, the power goes out. Meanwhile, if the tree falls into a phone or TV cable, the signals carried by the wires within the cable can continue to flow.
Many homeowners have the urge to fire-up a portable generator if the power goes out.
But, if used wrong, a portable generator can cause a deadly accident or could be damaged when power is restored. To operate safely, a portable generator must be separated from your home's electrical system. If it's not, the generator will backfeed electricity out through the circuit breaker panel and into the neighborhood. If you use a portable generator, do not plug it into the household circuit unless you have a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Or, when you use a portable generator, make sure that the things you power are plugged directly into the machine.