A system for protecting an integrated circuit (IC) from electrostatic discharge (ESD) events includes a sensing circuit that detects an occurrence of an ESD event on one of a plurality of power supply rails of the IC and, in response, outputs an alert signal identifying the occurrence of the ESD event. The system includes a driver circuit that, responsive to receiving the alert signal, outputs an enable signal, and a cascaded switch. The cascaded switch includes first and second gates disposed upon a channel located between a drain of the cascaded switch coupled to a first power supply rail and a source of the cascaded switch coupled to a second power supply rail. Each of the two gates receives the enable signal and, responsive to the enable signal, the cascaded switch closes to establish a coupling between the first power supply rail and the second power supply rail.