Flooding has caused widespread power cuts – how should we prepare?
Power cuts are a fact of life in many areas of the UK, particularly during periods of inclement weather and often due to circumstances beyond our control.
Here are some of the ways you can prepare for a loss of power to your home.
Phone – Keep an old-style telephone available (one that plus directly into a landline socket) which will work during power cuts even if your modern digital or cordless phone doesn’t.
Battery Charger – A battery or solar charger will keep your mobile phone topped up so you can keep up to date with your supplier’s power cut information.
Emergency Numbers – Keep a record of your supplier’s emergency number on paper and saved into your mobile phone.
Torch – A battery or wind-up torch is safer than lighting candles or paraffin lights, particularly if someone in the house is elderly, ill or disabled, or if young children live in the house.
Surge Protection – Keep all your gadgets and gizmos protected against a potential energy surge by plugging them into a surge protection plug.
Radio – A wind-up or battery/solar radio will let you listen to local radio updates and keep you entertained between announcements.
Stairlifts – Mains operated stairlifts often have a manual release handle, in case they stop working.
You may find that the problem lies within your own property but if a brief survey outdoors reveals that the whole area has a power cut, have a thought for vulnerable neighbours who may be grateful for some assistance. Let’s be careful out there!
