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Home › Power cut checklist: what to have ready

Power cut checklist: what to have ready

Most power cuts are over in hours. A few simple preparations make those hours easy, and give you a head start if it lasts longer. This is general advice. In any emergency, follow the guidance of the emergency services and your electricity network operator (call 105 in Great Britain to report or get information about a power cut).

1. Light you can trust

Keep at least one torch or lantern per person that does not depend on a plug. Wind-up and solar models never go flat on the shelf. Prefer Light & Power to candles: candles are a common cause of house fires during power cuts. A head torch keeps your hands free.

2. A way to get news

When mobile networks and broadband are down, a battery or wind-up radio still works. Keep spare batteries or a Radio & Navigation option. Agree a meeting point with your family in case phones fail.

3. Charged phones

Keep a power bank charged and top it up every few months. Turn on low-power mode and dim the screen to make a charge last.

4. Water

Taps usually still run in a short power cut, but not always. Keep a few litres of drinking water per person and consider a Water filter or a collapsible container for longer outages. Fill a bath or large containers if you know cuts are expected, for washing and flushing.

5. Warmth

Layers, blankets and hats matter more than heaters. Foil blankets are cheap and pack small, and Fire & Warmth items help in a cold house. Close curtains and shut off rooms you are not using.

6. Food safety

Keep fridge and freezer doors shut. As a general guide a closed fridge keeps food safe for about 4 hours, and a full freezer for about 24 hours (48 if it is full). When in doubt, throw it out. Keep a hand-operated can opener and some food that needs no cooking. Never use a barbecue, camping stove or any fuel-burning appliance indoors: they give off carbon monoxide, which can kill.

7. First aid and medicines

A basic First Aid & Hygiene kit, and a few days of any regular medication, are worth having to hand.

8. Know where things are

Keep your kit together in one place. A Bags & Storage bag you can grab is ideal. Check it twice a year, perhaps when the clocks change.

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