Tell Mary’s Story to Help Prevent Accidents
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Videos
The Mary Gehrig story: Downed Power Line Safety
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Mary’s Story:
Seventeen-year-old Mary Gehrig was driving home from a friend’s house on a stormy June night. Around 25 minutes into her 30-minute drive, Gehrig turned onto the county road that would take her home. Although there was near-zero visibility due to the storm that turned much more severe than originally forecast, she noticed two white lines off into the distance. As she got closer, she realized that those lines were across the road, in her path, and that they were anything but small.
Gehrig slammed on the brakes and her car struck the object, which happened to be one of two high-voltage transmission power lines lying in the road. The massive cable stopped Mary’s car in its tracks. The car’s electrical system was damaged, and she was stuck there alone during the storm.
Fire chief Rich Schock, who was on the scene that night, said, “Those are large transmission lines with a lot of volts in them,” adding that the outcome could have been fatal had Mary gotten out. “Mary did everything right,” he said.
Public Safety Tip Videos
Public Safety Tip #1
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Public Safety Tip #2
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Graphic
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Social Media Resources
A downed power line can look harmless, but always assume that it is energized and deadly. When there is a downed line, the power can be in the roadway or ground below you, and your body could become its path to ground. Learn more about Mary’s Story at: https://youtu.be/ZB4bmeFtm_s #SafeElectricity #DownedLines #DrivingSafety
If you are in an accident involving a downed power line, be patient, remain calm, and do not exit the vehicle or cab. If you are “still alive and sitting tight,” know how to stay that way. Learn more about Mary’s Story and downed line safety at: https://youtu.be/ZB4bmeFtm_s #SafeElectricity #DownedLines #DrivingSafety
Teenager Mary Gehrig shares how she’s never been afraid to drive in storms, but that her car struck a high-voltage transmission line one stormy night in June. Watch her story and learn how she stayed safe: https://youtu.be/ZB4bmeFtm_s #SafeElectricity #DownedLines #DrivingSafety
Emergency response received a page for a vehicle involved with downed power lines. Learn what they did to help keep the teen driver safe and what you can do in the same situation to avoid electrocution. Watch Mary’s Story: https://youtu.be/ZB4bmeFtm_s #SafeElectricity #DownedLines #DrivingSafety
Radio PSAs
SCRIPT #1
If there is a downed power line due to an accident, stay inside your vehicle or cab until the utility arrives and deenergizes the line.
Your instinct might be to flee from the vehicle, but the inside of your car or cab is often the safest place to be. Tell others to stay away and call 9-1-1 to report the situation.
Learn what to do after an accident involving a damaged or downed power line. Doing the right thing could save your life. To learn more, visit SafeElectricity dot org.
SCRIPT #2
A thunderstorm or tornado doesn’t have to last long to wreak havoc.
Once the storm has passed, it doesn’t mean the danger has. There could be a variety of deadly hazards left by the storm like a downed power line. There is no way to tell if a power line is energized and potentially deadly. A downed power line does not have to be arcing or sparking to kill you. Stay away from it – keep others away and call 911.
To learn more, go to safe electricity dot org.
SCRIPT #3
17-year-old Mary Gehrig was driving home on a stormy night, and torrential rains made it hard to see. Mary was almost home when she saw some small white lines.
As she got closer, she realized the lines were massive and lying across the road. She slammed on her brakes and came to a stop. Mary had hit a high-voltage transmission line.
Luckily, Mary’s called her parents, who told her to stay put and call 9-1-1. Watch Mary’s story at safe electricity dot org.
News Release
Mary did everything right: Know what to do around downed power lines
Stay in the car or cab and call 9-1-1
April 1, 2022
Springfield, Ill. — Seventeen-year-old Mary Gehrig was driving home from a friend’s house on a stormy June night, from Fargo to Kindred, N.D. Although some cars had pulled over to wait out the storm, Gehrig was close to home and she thought she could make it.
Around 25 minutes into her 30-minute drive, Gehrig turned onto the county road that would take her home. Although there was near-zero visibility due to the storm, which turned much more severe than originally forecast, she noticed two white lines in the distance. As she got closer, she realized that those lines were across the road, in her path, and they were anything but small.
“I realized I was not going to (be able to) drive over it,” Gehrig recalls. She slammed on the brakes and her car struck the object, which happened to be one of two high-voltage transmission power lines lying in the road. The massive cable stopped Mary’s car in its tracks. The car’s electrical system was damaged, and she was stuck there alone during the storm…
Note: The date on this release is 4/20/2021. We have provided the word document for you to download in case you would prefer to send it out to the media before this date.
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Safe Electricity is the award-winning, public awareness program of the Energy Education Council, a 501(c) 3 (not-for-profit organization) established in 1952 on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With offices located in Springfield, Ill., Safe Electricity operates under the University of Illinois Extension and is led by the EEC Board of Directors. Since the Safe Electricity program was created in 2001, it has provided thousands of safety-minded resources to its more than 500 utility members from across the country to help save lives and reduce injuries.