If you see smoke, smell smoke, or a smoke alarm goes off, get out and stay out. Once you are outside, call 911. The US Fire Administration (FA-221) says to get out, then call 911 or the fire department from a cell phone or a neighbor’s telephone. Ready.gov says to get to your exit if you smell or see smoke, and to stay outside until the fire department says it is safe. Neither covers a smell you are not sure about. The Watch Hill (Rhode Island) Fire Department says not to waste time searching for the cause of a burning odor, and to dial 911. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services lists odors and a vague smell of something burning among the signs to call the fire department. NFPA lists a burning or rubbery smell from an appliance as a reason to call a qualified electrician. Sources differ, so if you cannot tell, treat it as smoke. That last part is our own judgment. For a hot or discolored outlet with no smoke, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) say to stop using it and have a qualified electrician check the wiring as soon as possible.

No. CPSC says to stop using a hot outlet or switch immediately and get help from a qualified electrician as soon as possible. ESFI adds that you should unplug the cords from an outlet or switch plate that is unusually hot to the touch, and not use the switches. That advice is for a hot plate, not for sparks. CPSC says outlet covers and plugs may be warm, but they should never be hot to the touch or discolored from heat. We recommend calling an electrician instead of unplugging anything yourself.

No. CPSC and ESFI both say to plug an electric space heater directly into a wall outlet, and never into an extension cord or power strip. ESFI also says not to plug anything else into the same outlet as the heater. Keep the heater at least three feet from anything that can burn, and never leave it on while you sleep (CPSC).

If your house is dark but your neighbors have power, and you have already checked your breakers, report it to your utility. If only some rooms are dark, CPSC does not describe that case. It does list breakers that trip or need resetting often as a warning of a potential hazard, and says to consult a qualified electrician. Dominion Energy customers can report an outage in the Dominion Energy app or on its website. NOVEC members can report through SmartHub or by phone at 703-335-0500. If storm damage is between the weatherhead and the meter base, Dominion says an electrician has to repair it before Dominion can reconnect your power.

CPSC gives these steps for a GFCI that has power. Plug a lamp into the outlet and turn the lamp on. Press the TEST button. The light should go out. If it does not, the GFCI is not working or was not installed correctly, and you should contact a qualified electrician. Then press the RESET button. The light should come back on. If it does not, the GFCI needs to be replaced. This is a test, not a repair. We recommend calling an electrician instead of testing it yourself.

Do not touch it, and keep everyone away. Dominion Energy says to call 911 first if a downed line is a clear and immediate danger to you, your property or others, and to call 911 if someone touches a line. Dominion says to stay at least 30 feet away. The American Red Cross says 35 feet and to call 911. NOVEC says to stay away and call 911 and NOVEC right away. Then report the line to your utility. Dominion’s number for downed lines is 866-366-4357. NOVEC members can call 703-335-0500 or use SmartHub.

Fire departments do not publish a smell guide, and we did not find an official source that sorts burning smells by type. CPSC says burned or overheated wires often give off an odor of hot insulation. NFPA lists a burning or rubbery smell from an appliance. The rule is the same for any burning odor. The Watch Hill Fire Department says not to spend time hunting for the cause. If you are not sure, use the red box at the top of this page.

We did not find an official source that says how toxic wire smoke is, so we will not guess. The sources agree on what to do about smoke: get out, stay out, and call 911 from outside.

Fairfax County Public Safety Communications says to tell the dispatcher the exact address, including an apartment or suite number, and to state the nature of the emergency. Answer every question as best you can. Do not hang up unless you are in danger or the dispatcher tells you to. Speak slowly and clearly.

MedlinePlus says to call 911 if a person has been injured by electricity. Do not touch the person with your bare hands if their body is still touching the source of electricity. If you can do so safely, MedlinePlus says to turn off the current. If you cannot, it says to push the person away with something that does not conduct electricity, such as a broom, chair, rug or rubber doormat. Do not use a wet or metal object. Even a burn that looks minor can hide serious damage inside the body, so get checked by a doctor. Our advice: do not touch the person yourself. Call 911. The 911 operator will tell you what to do until help arrives.

No. OSHA says never to use water on an electrical fire, because water conducts electricity and could lead to electrocution. The US Fire Administration says a Class C extinguisher is for plugged-in equipment. It says to use an extinguisher only if the fire department has been called, the fire is small and contained in one object, and you have a clear escape route. If you are unsure, leave and call 911 from outside.

For smoke or fire, we did not find an official source that tells homeowners to go to the panel, so this guide does not. Getting out comes first. For a person being shocked, MedlinePlus says that if you can do so safely, turn off the current, including turning off the circuit breakers. Do not go to the panel if you are wet or standing in water (our advice). For a shock from a metal outlet faceplate, CPSC says to turn off the branch circuit at the panel unless it affects an essential appliance. CPSC also says the power company or firefighters are the only ones authorized to turn off power where the power lines meet your home. We recommend calling 911 or an electrician instead of turning off a breaker yourself.

The sources say to find the cause first. CPSC says to check which breaker tripped and which appliances lost power before you reset it, and not to put in a higher-rated fuse or breaker. ESFI says to turn off or unplug things on that circuit before you reset it. The US Fire Administration and CPSC say to have a qualified electrician check the system if this happens often. No source we found gives a number of resets. We recommend calling an electrician instead of resetting it yourself.

No. The American Red Cross says not to touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water, because you could be electrocuted. It says not to use electrical equipment or electronics that may have been submerged, and to have a qualified electrical inspector check the electrical system.

CPSC closed its investigation of Federal Pacific breakers in 1983. It said the data did not establish a serious risk of injury, although the breakers failed some UL tests. In 2011 CPSC staff added that people should read the findings carefully, because the Commission closed the matter without deciding the breakers were safe. We found no CPSC finding on Zinsco. That does not mean the panel is safe. A qualified electrician can look at an older panel and tell you what they see.