Most people like the soft gentle breeze of summer. The combined smell of flowers, fresh mowed grass, and a campfire are great reminders of a lazy summer day.  However, when that gentle breeze is measured in numbers greater than fifty miles per hour, we tend to find trees on power lines and across the roofs of homes.

Such was the case a few weeks ago when a coastal hurricane, downgraded to a tropical depression, made its way across New England on August 4. Trees across the state came tumbling down. 

In Andover, the Fire Department was called to respond to downed trees and wires on Boston Hill at 7:16 PM.  We found a tree across the road with the top tangled in wires. As we are not equipped to safely remove the tree, we placed cones on both sides of the incident to protect motorists. 

The alarm again sounded at 7:38 PM for an outside fire on Beech Hill road. Arriving units found a tree across the road, a telephone pole broken, and low hanging wires on fire. Again, this is not an incident we are equipped to fix. Our mission is to make the scene safe, report the telephone pole number, and wait for the power company.

In most cases, the top-most wires on a telephone pole are carrying primary power measured in thousands of volts. The primary lines supply transformers mounted to the poles which lower the voltage to 220 and 110 volts that is common in your home.  

When a tree is blown down and lands in the primary or any wires, a new circuit may have been made to ground. Trees are full of wet wood, and it is easy for electricity to find a path to ground.  A person will also be seen as a path to ground if they are close enough to the wires or even the tree. The path to ground carries uncontrolled electricity, heat, and the possibility of death.

The safest way to deal with a downed tree and wires is to call the Fire Department so we can make the scene safe and await the power company. Your Fire Department has lots of really nice equipment and training to keep us safe in most situations; however we are totally unequipped to deal with downed electrical lines. You aren’t equipped either. Distance is your best protection.

Wind storms are very dynamic and conditions are constantly changing.  In most cases it is best to shelter in place and wait for the weather to clear. However, be aware of your surroundings as you venture out.  They don’t call hanging branches “widow makers” for nothing.