Stop here: assume the area may be energized
Do not touch the water, wet equipment, appliances, cords, switches, receptacles, panels, or anyone who may still be connected to an electrical source. Do not stand or wade in water. Leave the area by a dry route and keep others out.
Call the right emergency help
Call 911 for a person receiving a shock, fire, arcing, smoke, injury, or an immediate threat, and follow dispatcher instructions. Contact the electric utility or fire department when service isolation is needed and the disconnect is not safely reachable. Notify the property emergency contact in a rental or multi-unit building.
Power isolation has a strict boundary
Ready.gov says power should be turned off only when it is safe. That means the disconnect and entire route are dry, stable, and away from the leak; otherwise do not approach it. Never operate a breaker while standing in water, open a panel, use a test instrument, or rely on gloves, boots, or a wooden tool as protection.
Water shutoff is secondary
Attempt the verified owner water valve only from a separate dry, safe route with no electrical or structural exposure. Do not cross the wet area to save property, force an unknown valve, or assume stopping flow removes the shock hazard. If safe isolation is unavailable, wait for the utility, fire service, or licensed plumber.
Do not reuse wet electrical items
CPSC advises not touching a plugged-in wet appliance and having wet appliances evaluated by a professional before reuse. Do not unplug, move, dry, disassemble, test, or re-energize them. Use a licensed electrician for affected building wiring or electrical equipment and an appropriately qualified appliance professional for the appliance itself.
Document only from outside the boundary
If you can do so without entering or approaching the wet zone, photograph the wider room, note the time, source direction, affected equipment, alarms, and calls made. Documentation never justifies entry. Tell the insurer what emergency actions were taken and read the policy; no inspection or photo guarantees coverage.
Reentry requires clearance
Do not return because visible water receded or a breaker appears off. The water source must be controlled, structural and contamination hazards assessed, and the electrical system cleared by qualified professionals before re-energizing or using affected equipment. Hidden moisture can remain in walls, devices, and wiring pathways.
Sources
- Ready.gov/FEMA — wet-electrical-equipment, standing-water, contamination, and utility-safety boundaries
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — no contact with plugged-in wet appliances and professional evaluation before reuse
- NFIP/FEMA — safe damage photos, serial-number records, receipts, and qualified repair-service checks
- U.S. CDC — electrical, sewage, mold, and safe-reentry hazards after water intrusion