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Water and Flood Safety

What to do in the event of a flood in your home

Water and electricity do not mix. Electricity can move through or wet flooring and cause an electrical shock that can result in serious injury or even death. Use the following checklist to keep you and your family safe in the event of a floor in your home.

Checklist for before, during and after a flood:

Before
  • Disconnect all outdoor electrical devices that are in danger of being submerged, and turn off breakers to outdoor plugs.
  • For general information about electrical service during flooring, contact Maritime Electric at 1-800-670-1012.
During
  • Disconnect all equipment and receptacles in the basement if water is entering. Unplug appliances and turn off the breakers. If electrical receptacles are under water and any electrical appliances are plugged in, do not enter the area. Never stand in water to operate breakers.
  • For emergencies, call Maritime Electric 1-800-670-1012 to disconnect the power.
  • When using pumps, tools and lights near water, use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) to protect yourself from electrical shock.
  • Never connect portable generators to house circuits. Doing this can cause backfeed situations that are dangerous to you and our Power Line Technicians working on the line feeding your home. Use your generator only for tools like lights and water pumps. Keep all cords and generators safely out of water.
  • Watch out for downed powerlines in flood-affected areas. If you see one, stay back at least 30 metres. Call 9-1-1 and call Maritime Electric at 1-800-670-1012 to report it.
After
  • Call Maritime Electric at 1-800-670-1012 to have your power reconnected.
  • When restoring power to a flood-damaged dwelling, a permit must be issued by a Licensed Electrician and then inspected by Maritime Electric before the power can be reconnected.
  • If your power was disconnected as a safety precaution but you did not experience a flood, Maritime Electric will ensure it is safe to restore power without an Electrician or permit.


If the flood cannot be prevented but water has not yet started coming into the basement
Cut the power to the whole house to prevent any risk of electric shock or fire by doing the following:

  1. Be aware of your surroundings: Make sure you aren’t standing on a wet floor or leaning on anything made of metal.
  2. Flip the main breaker off.

If water has started coming into the basement
Do not touch anything! Call Maritime Electric right away at 1-800-670-1012 to have service to the meter or pole cut.