Emergency Guide
Electrical Emergency
in Vancouver, WA
If you're dealing with an electrical emergency right now, the first thing to do is stay safe. Don't touch anything that's sparking, smoking, or hot. If there are flames or someone has been shocked, call 911 first. Once you and your family are safe, call Newman Electric. Ryan answers emergency calls personally and has been handling electrical emergencies across Vancouver, WA since 2021.
Safety First
What To Do During an Electrical Emergency
Your safety matters more than your electrical system. Before calling anyone, follow these steps.
Do This
Get everyone away from the hazard
If something is sparking, smoking, or on fire, move your family and pets to a safe distance. Don't go back in until a professional says it's safe.
Call 911 if there are flames or someone is hurt
Electrical shock and electrical fires need emergency medical and fire response. Don't wait to see if it gets worse.
Turn off the main breaker if you can reach it safely
If the panel is accessible and there's no water, smoke, or fire near it, flip the main breaker to kill power to the house.
Call Newman Electric at 360-828-7143
Once everyone is safe, call Ryan. He handles electrical emergency calls across Vancouver, WA and responds the same day, often within the hour.
Don't Do This
Don't touch anything that's sparking or hot
Electrical arcs can jump. Even if you think the power is off, don't touch damaged wiring, scorched outlets, or a panel that looks like it overheated.
Don't use water on an electrical fire
Water conducts electricity. If something electrical is on fire, use a Class C (dry chemical) fire extinguisher or get out and call 911.
Don't keep resetting a tripped breaker
If a breaker trips, it tripped for a reason. Forcing it back on can cause the wire to overheat. If it trips again after resetting once, leave it off and call an electrician.
Don't try to fix it yourself
An electrical emergency means something has already failed. This is not the time for DIY troubleshooting. The wiring could be damaged in ways you can't see.
Emergency Types
Common Electrical Emergencies
Not every electrical problem is an emergency, but the ones below are. If any of these are happening in your home or business right now, call Newman Electric. Ryan prioritizes electrical emergency calls in Vancouver, WA and responds fast.
Complete Power Loss
If your entire home goes dark and your neighbors still have power, the problem is on your side. It could be a failed main breaker, a damaged service entrance, or a connection failure at the meter. Newman Electric diagnoses the source and restores power. If the utility side is the issue, we help you navigate Clark PUD.
Burning Smell or Visible Smoke
A burning smell with no visible source usually means something is overheating inside a wall, junction box, or panel. Don't try to find it by opening walls. Turn off the main breaker if safe and call Newman Electric immediately. Ryan has responded to dozens of these calls in Vancouver, WA, and the crew carries thermal imaging to locate the heat source.
Sparking Outlet or Switch
A small spark when you plug something in can be normal. A sustained arc, loud pop, or visible flash from an outlet or switch is not normal. That's an arc fault or a failed connection. Leave the outlet alone, turn off that circuit at the breaker, and call Newman Electric. We replace the outlet or switch, check the wiring behind it, and make sure the circuit is safe.
Panel Buzzing or Overheating
Electrical panels should be silent and cool. Buzzing, humming, or heat coming from the panel means a breaker or connection is failing under load. Don't open the panel yourself. Call Newman Electric and let Ryan's crew inspect it. A failing breaker that doesn't trip is one of the leading causes of electrical fires.
Exposed or Downed Wires
If a storm or accident has brought down a power line near your home, stay far away and call 911 and Clark PUD. If the issue is exposed wiring inside your home from storm damage or a fallen tree, turn off the main breaker and call Newman Electric. We secure and repair damaged wiring and coordinate with the utility if needed.
Electrical Shock
If someone has been shocked and is unconscious or confused, call 911 immediately. Even a minor shock means something is wrong with the grounding, a GFCI, or the wiring itself. After the medical situation is handled, call Newman Electric to find and fix the source. Electrical shock from a home appliance or outlet should never happen if the system is working correctly.
Know the Difference
When To Call 911 vs. an Electrician
Not every electrical problem needs 911. And not every situation can wait until Monday. The guide below helps you decide who to call first during an electrical emergency in Vancouver, WA.
- Active flames from an outlet, panel, or appliance
- Someone has been shocked and is unresponsive or confused
- Downed power lines on your property or near people
- You smell gas AND have an electrical issue (gas + electrical = call 911 and evacuate)
- Complete power loss and neighbors still have power
- Burning smell but no visible flames
- Sparking outlet or switch (turn off circuit first)
- Buzzing or overheating panel
- Half the house lost power
- Breaker won't stay on after one reset
- Storm damage to your electrical system (after 911 clears the scene)
Newman Electric Emergency Line
360-828-7143Ryan answers emergency calls personally. Same-day response across Vancouver, WA and Clark County. Emergency rate is upfront and disclosed before any work starts.
Clark PUD Outage Line
If the power outage is on the utility side (your neighbors are also out), contact Clark PUD at 360-992-3000.
Vancouver Fire Department
For active electrical fires or medical emergencies, call 911. Vancouver Fire responds to electrical fire calls and will secure the scene before an electrician enters.
Customer Reviews
Emergency Response Reviews
"I have to shout out Ryan for going out of his way to come save us tonight. What we thought was an HVAC issue turned out to be a breaker issue and we thought we were going to be sweating through the night. Newman Electric was the first place I called and Ryan was probably on his way home but diverted to our house. He charged a fair rate for emergency service and was in and out in less than 15 minutes."
Craig G.
Emergency Breaker Repair
"Ryan and Anthony were amazing. It's hard to find an honest company with great people, but I found it in this company. They came out the night before Thanksgiving. They were honest, quick and awesome people. I will use them and refer them to everyone I know."
George C.
Thanksgiving Emergency
"Newman Electric saved our tails! When we got the keys to our new house, half of the house's electricity suddenly wasn't working. My husband and his father were completely stumped. Newman Electric came out the next day and fixed it within minutes! Their customer service was amazing."
Cassandra P.
New Home Emergency
Common Questions
Electrical Emergency FAQ
Ryan answers emergency calls personally and prioritizes them over scheduled work. Most electrical emergency calls in Vancouver, WA get a same-day response. Evening and weekend calls happen too. Ryan has shown up within an hour on many emergency calls. The exact time depends on where the crew is and what they're working on, but electrical emergencies always jump the line.
Yes, there is an emergency service rate for after-hours and immediate-response calls. Newman Electric is upfront about the rate before any work starts. Multiple reviewers have noted that the emergency fee was fair and clearly disclosed. You'll know exactly what the call costs before Ryan starts working.
It depends on the cause. If a single breaker tripped, that's a normal event. Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call Newman Electric during business hours. If multiple circuits went out at once and the breakers haven't tripped, that could be a failed main breaker, a loose service connection, or a utility issue. That's worth an emergency call to get diagnosed quickly.
If you can safely reach your electrical panel and the area around it is dry, free of smoke, and not near the source of the problem, yes. Turning off the main breaker cuts power to everything in the house. If you can't safely reach the panel, don't risk it. Get everyone out and wait for help. Ryan can walk you through it on the phone if you're unsure.
Newman Electric responds to electrical emergencies across all of Clark County and Cowlitz County, WA. That includes Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, Longview, Kelso, Woodland, and surrounding areas. Same emergency response, same crew, no matter where you are in the coverage area.
More Services
Related Electrical Services
Service Areas
Emergency Electrical Service
Across Clark County
Newman Electric responds to electrical emergencies across Clark County and Cowlitz County, WA. Breaker failures in Hazel Dell, power outages in Camas, storm damage in Battle Ground. Ryan and the crew prioritize emergency calls no matter where you are in the service area.
Electrical Emergency?
Call Newman Electric Now.
Ryan answers emergency calls personally. Same-day response across Vancouver, WA and all of Clark County. Fair emergency rate, disclosed upfront, no surprises.