Location
Identify the exact scene.
Use more than a street address when assets span a large site.
- Address, cross street, and landmark.
- GPS coordinates and access notes.
- Pole, hydrant, meter, vault, or asset ID.
Describe who reports damage and how dispatch responds. Makeform creates a damaged utility reporting form for location, utility type, hazards, photos, contacts, and crew triage details.
Route reports to email, Slack, Sheets, or Zapier.
Sample prompts
Choose a reporting scenario, edit it, or send the prompt into the Makeform builder.
Audience
Residents and property owners reporting visible utility damage
Format
Mobile-friendly report with map details and photos
Prompt size
255 chars
Example structure
Mobile-friendly report with map details and photos
Where is the damaged utility?
What type of utility is affected?
Is there an immediate hazard?
Describe what you can see from a safe location
Photos taken from a safe distance
Suggested routing tags
Immediate hazard
Dispatch review
Repair follow-up
Put location and hazard questions first so dispatch sees critical facts immediately.
Step 1
Locate
address, landmark, GPS, and asset ID
Step 2
Assess
utility type, damage, hazard, and service impact
Step 3
Route
urgent dispatch or standard maintenance review
Step 4
Resolve
crew assignment, repair notes, and closure
Faster operational triage
Structured intake puts location, hazard, asset, access, and evidence in the first submission.
Combine address, landmark, coordinates, asset ID, and access instructions.
Ask about wires, arcing, odor, leaks, flooding, unstable poles, blocked roads, and injuries.
Use utility, hazard, territory, and impact as consistent routing inputs.
One intake, different reporters
Use plain language for the public and technical fields for contractors and crews.
Use familiar choices, optional contacts, safe photo guidance, and emergency instructions.
Capture project, strike time, equipment, markings, work stoppage, and site contact.
Connect asset IDs, conditions, causes, photos, and priority.
Turn phone reports into consistent dispatch information.
Build the reporting workflow
Start with the reporter and escalation rules, then review the generated questions against the way your dispatch and repair teams actually work.
Name the networks covered and who will submit reports.
Require location, utility type, and danger checks; add local asset labels.
Show relevant questions by reporter, utility, asset, and hazard.
Route submissions and add reference, assignment, and status fields.
Intake options
Phone calls still matter for emergencies, but structured digital intake reduces transcription and gives responders evidence they can review before arrival.
Field guide
These six sections turn a general damage alert into a usable incident record. Keep safety direction prominent, use terms reporters understand, and reserve technical fields for crews and contractors.
Location
Use more than a street address when assets span a large site.
Immediate safety
Show a warning and ask about danger before routine details.
Utility and asset
Offer local utility and asset choices plus an unknown option.
Observed condition
Ask what was seen, heard, or smelled without requesting a diagnosis.
Operational impact
Let unknown remain valid when impact is unclear.
Evidence and follow-up
Connect safe photos and contacts with internal repair tracking.
Related tools
Connect the first damage report with the forms teams use to inspect assets, record incidents, authorize work, and document maintenance.
Create structured checks for electrical equipment, visible conditions, findings, and corrective actions.
Open toolDocument asset condition, defects, photos, and the next inspection or repair step.
Open toolCapture the people, event sequence, location, observations, and supporting evidence for an incident record.
Open toolTurn an identified defect into a clear request with priority, location, asset, and attachments.
Open toolSpecify field work, crew needs, materials, site details, and completion notes.
Open toolCollect factual details when utility damage is connected to a vehicle, equipment, or workplace accident.
Open toolFAQ
Practical answers for utilities, contractors, municipalities, and operations teams designing a safer, clearer intake.
It records damaged electric, gas, water, sewer, telecom, or related infrastructure. Core details include location, asset, observations, immediate hazards, service impact, photos, and follow-up contacts.
Lead with safety direction, location, utility type, and an immediate-hazard question. Tell reporters not to approach damaged equipment and direct emergencies to the appropriate channel.
Collect an address, intersection, landmark, access notes, and coordinates when available. Add local identifiers such as pole, hydrant, meter, cabinet, pedestal, or vault number.
Yes. Start with utility type, then show relevant conditional questions for electric, gas, water, sewer, or telecom assets. Include unknown for public reporters.
Request images only from a safe location. Use a wide view for context and another for visible damage, but keep location and hazard questions required when no photo is available.
It can collect hazard, utility, impact, and territory inputs for your notification workflow. Define escalation rules with operations and test every conditional path.
Yes. Makeform offers unlimited free forms and responses. The paid tier removes the Makeform badge. Add your own emergency contacts and test the form before use.
Public forms use plain language and safe-observation questions. Crew forms can require employee, work order, asset ID, condition code, temporary controls, priority, repair notes, and closure status.
Turn a damage alert into a dispatch-ready report.