SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, Va. (WSET) — Residents across Smith Mountain Lake say stray voltage is an issue at many docks in the area, but tragedies like Thursday's electrocution of an 18-year-old are preventable with the help of something called the Shock Alert.

The Assistant Chief of Smith Mountain Lake Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Ray Talley, said they have nine fire boats assisting folks on the lake daily, and the Shock Alert is something they always have on hand.

It's so simple to use, it's just one button operation," Talley said.
He said you just drop the Shock Alert into the water.

"It's blinking green, that's what you want to see when you put it in the water," Talley noted.

However, if it's blinking red, don't get in.

It will tell you if there's any voltage in your water, around your dock, or around your lifts," Talley said.
Smith Mountain Lake residents say tragedies like the July 4, 2024, electrocution of an 18-year-old are preventable with the help of something called the Shock Alert.

Talley said if you have stray voltage, you should call an electrician.

Ronald Moser, owner of Moser Electric, said stray voltage is common at the lake, so it's something he checks for often, but he does more than just test the water.

"We're gonna check for proper bonding, make sure you've got the proper GFI protection," Moser said. "Just all the proper wiring that should be there to minimize the risk."

As an electrician, he said he doesn't want to take any risk at all.

Nothing's a hundred percent, so from my standpoint, what I do at my own dock, I turn the breaker off to the dock when anyone's swimming," Moser said.
He said cutting the power could be a lifesaver.

"If you're in doubt, just turn your power off and swim at your dock," Moser said.

Smith Mountain Lake residents say tragedies like the July 4, 2024, electrocution of an 18-year-old are preventable with the help of something called the Shock Alert.

Folks at the lake say that a shock can send your muscles into paralysis, something even the strongest swimmers can't overcome, so it's really important to always stay safe.

Talley said if there's a boat lift in the water near your dock, there's a good chance there's stray voltage, so you should always double-check.

The voltage is coming through the lift when the lift is in the water. If you take the lift out of the water and check it you're probably going to find that you don't have any stray voltage," Talley said.
Talley said Smith Mountain Lake Volunteer Fire and Rescue responds to stray voltage calls frequently, but the accident on the Fourth of July was their first fatality. He said they tested the water with a Shock Alert at the scene and it read over 200 millivolts per foot in the water, the maximum a Shock Alert can read.