Search MENU Your Coop Your Account Member Programs Products & Services Safety Energy Expertise News POWER LINE SAFETY You are here Safety Power Line Safety Accidentally contacting a power line can be dangerous and in some cases, even deadly. Your Touchstone Energy cooperative wants to help our members stay safe around power lines. Keep a safe distance Whether you are playing outdoors with your children or working on landscaping projects, keep a safe distance from power lines and other equipment your co-op uses to get electricity to your home. Always remember to: Stay away from power lines, meters, transformers and electrical boxes. Don’t climb trees near power lines. Never fly kits, remote control airplanes or balloons near power lines. If you get something stuck in a power line, call your Touchstone Energy co-op to get it. Keep a safe distance from overhead power lines when working with ladders or installing objects such as antennas. Never touch or go near a downed power line. Don’t touch anything that may be touching a downed wire, such as a car. Keep children and pets away. Power Lines and Vehicles If a power line falls on a car, you should stay inside the vehicle. This is the safest place to stay. Warn people not to touch the car or the line. Call or ask someone to call the local cooperative and emergency services. The only circumstance in which you should consider leaving a car that is in contact with a downed power line is if the vehicle catches on fire. Open the door. Do not step out of the car. You may receive a shock. Instead, jump free of the car so that your body clears the vehicle before touching the ground. Once you clear the car, shuffle at least 50 feet away, with both feet on the ground. As in all power line related emergencies, call for help immediately by dialing 911 or call your electric utility company's Service Center/Dispatch Office. Do not try to help someone else from the car while you are standing on the ground. Back to Top Quick Links Contact Us News Statement of Nondiscrimination Contact Info Union County Electric Cooperative 122 West Main St P.O. Box 459 Elk Point, SD 57025 Office: 605-356-3395 Fax: 605-356-3397 About Us Union County Electric Cooperative exists to provide high value energy to our Members by focusing on delivering safe, reliable, environmentally friendly electricity while promoting energy efficiency through education. Follow Us Online ©2021 Union County Electric Cooperative. Your Local Touchstone Electric Cooperative.