Calling an Electrician in an Emergency? Here's What to Tell Them

What This Article Covers

A quick overview before you dive in:

• Why safety comes before the call to an electrician, and when to call triple zero (000) or your electricity network first.
• The four things to tell the electrician: your address and access, what's happening, what you've already done, and anything urgent about the people or the property.
• How to tell whether a power outage is yours or the whole street's, and when it's the network's job rather than an electrician's.
• What not to do while you wait, including leaving repairs and exposed wiring alone.
• What happens when you call us, including the after-hours call-out price and the conditions behind it, and the areas we attend.

When you call an electrician in an emergency, clear details help them understand the problem and come prepared: where you are and how to get in, what's happening, what you've already done, and anything that makes the situation more urgent. Have those ready and the electrician arrives knowing what to expect.

This checklist comes from Impulse Electrical Enterprise. We're licensed and insured, and our director, Matthew Neil, supervises every job. If you need an emergency electrician in the Inner West or one of the other suburbs we cover, it's what we'll ask you when you ring.

First, Make Sure Everyone Is Safe

Before you pick up the phone to an electrician, deal with any danger first.

• Fire or smoke. Get everyone out, stay outside and call triple zero (000). Do the same if a smoke alarm is going off. Don't go back in or try to check the electrics.
• Someone has had an electric shock. Don't touch them while they could still be in contact with the electricity. Switch off the power only if you can do it safely, without putting yourself at risk. Call triple zero (000) for a serious shock, or if they collapse or have trouble breathing. Once the electrical danger is gone, follow the operator's first aid directions, including CPR if needed. Even with no visible injury, they should have a prompt medical check.
• Fallen power lines. Stay at least 8 metres away, about two car lengths, keep others clear and never assume a fallen line is switched off. Call Ausgrid on 13 13 88 or Endeavour Energy on 131 003, depending on which network supplies your area. If anyone's life is in danger, including someone in contact with a fallen line, don't go near them: call triple zero (000), then the network, and wait until the line has been made safe.

For sparks, a burning smell or a hot power point, stop using it and switch off the main switch, but only if your hands are dry, you're not standing in water, and the switchboard is dry and undamaged and isn't sparking, smoking or hot. Don't touch anything that is scorched, melted or wet. Our guide to what to do first in an electrical emergency covers these steps in order.

1. Your Address and Access Details

Start with where you are. Give the street address and suburb, plus anything that affects getting in:

• A unit number, gate code or building access instructions.
• Where the switchboard is, if you know, such as the garage or a meter room.
• Who will be there to let the electrician in.

If you're a landlord or property manager and not at the property, tell us who is there. We'll get in touch with the tenant to organise access, and before any work starts we'll agree with you who signs off on it and who gets the invoice.

2. What's Happening

Describe what you can see, hear and smell, even if you're not sure what it means. Useful details include sparks, a burning smell, a buzzing switchboard, a power point that feels hot, or a safety switch that won't stay on. If water is involved, say where it's coming from and what it has reached, as far as you can tell without going near it.

Say whether the power is out in one room, the whole home or the whole street. If your neighbours have lost power too, check Ausgrid's outage map. A network outage is for the network to fix, not an electrician. Report it to Ausgrid on 13 13 88, or to Endeavour Energy on 131 003 if you're in its area.

3. What You've Already Done

Tell the electrician whether you've switched off the main switch, and whether you switched a safety switch or circuit breaker back on and it tripped again. Mention what was running, or had just been switched on, when the problem started. It helps them work out where to look first.

4. Anything Urgent About the People or the Property

Tell us about anything that makes the situation more urgent or changes how the electrician approaches it:

• Children, older people or pets in the home.
• Medical equipment that relies on power.
• A business with staff or customers on site.
• Solar panels or a home battery, because these systems and their DC equipment can stay live after the main switch is off, so don't try to inspect or repair them. Mention an EV charger too, so the electrician knows what's connected.
• Any recent electrical work or renovations, and the age of the wiring if you know it.

What Not to Do While You Wait

Don't try to repair anything yourself, and don't touch anything that is scorched, melted or wet. Stay away from exposed wires and damaged power points or switches. Leave the power off if you've switched it off, and keep everyone away from the problem area. A safety switch that keeps tripping has found a fault, so don't keep switching it back on. If your phone battery is low, keep the call short and tell us the best number to reach you on.

When You Call Us

Our phones are answered 24/7, including public holidays. During business hours you'll reach our office; after hours, Matthew or one of our electricians picks up. We'll go through the details above and help you stay safe in the meantime.

We confirm the call-out price on the phone before we send anyone. After hours, it's $250 + GST, and that price applies in every suburb we attend. Public holiday rates may apply. The electrician makes the fault safe first; further fault-finding, repairs and parts are discussed on site and quoted for you to approve, and nothing goes ahead until you do.

Our emergency call-outs cover the Inner West, Strathfield, Burwood, Canada Bay, Glebe, Ultimo, Hunters Hill, Gladesville and Riverview. Outside those areas? Ring us and we'll let you know if we can get to you.

Questions About Calling an Electrician in an Emergency

Do I need to know what's wrong before I call?

No. Describe what you can see, hear and smell, and what you've done so far. The electrician will ask questions to narrow it down, and finding the cause is their job.

What if I'm not sure it's an emergency?

Call us anyway. Tell us what you can see, hear and smell, and we'll help you work out whether it needs an electrician now or can wait for a booked visit. If there's smoke, fire or an electric shock, call triple zero (000) first.

Need an Electrician Now?

If anyone is hurt or there's fire or smoke, call triple zero (000) first. With your details ready, ring us on 0481 228 836 any time and we'll talk you through what to do right now. If the job can wait, ask us for a free quote.