Surviving a power cut

1
Surviving a power cut

• Planning for something like this involves a
  number of stages.
• Assessing what you need.
• Working out what you have already.
• Developing a shopping list of what else will be
  useful.
• Collecting useful items whenever possible.

2
What do we need electricity for?

• Light
• Heat
• Cooking
• Entertainment
• Communication

3
Alternative light sources

• Candles
• Torches
• Gas lanterns
• Paraffin / acetylene lamps
• Light sticks
• Solar powered lights

Seeing where you re going without electricity
4
Candles

• For light, not decoration
• Keep inflammable items away from flame e.g.
  clothes, curtains, hair
• Use proper holders or place on a surface that is
  safe in case of accident
• Quiet and easily forgotten
• Not a childs toy

Celebrate and stay safe (using candles safely)
5
Torches

• Choosing a torch
• Batteries
• Bulbs
• Remember a spark from switching a torch on or off
  can set off a gas explosion

6
Gas lanterns

• Storing fuel
• Can be heavy on fuel
• Spare mantles
• Only change gas cylinders when the lamp is cold

7
Paraffin or acetylene lamps

• Wicks
• Fuel storage
• Only refill lamps when cold

8
Light sticks

• Long lasting
• Can be used safely even where there is gas leak
• Probably the safest sort of lighting to give
  children
• Some teenage party goers might have some you
  could borrow

9
Solar powered lights

• Need to be left in bright sunlight to recharge
  them
• Some may also use batteries
• Use fluorescent light bulbs

10
Storing alternative light sources

• Need to be able to find a light source in the
  dark
• Remember, once you can find one light you will be
  able to set up further lights more easily

11
HEATING

• Central heating pumps require electricity, so
  unless the system is gravity fed, hot water will
  not circulate around the radiators
• Gas fires and boilers may require electricity for
  ignition
• Remember any hot water used will be replaced in
  the tank by cold water. If insulated well it will
  stay warm

12
Other sources of heat

• Portable gas heater
• Paraffin heater
• Open fire

13
Portable gas heater

• Needs to be stored carefully as contains large
  gas cylinder
• Bulky and heavy to move
• Make sure that it is kept in good working order
• Check gas cylinder

14
Paraffin heater

• Easy to knock over so need positioning carefully
• Needs to be maintained properly i.e. trimming
  wick and cleaning
• Not commonly available today as safer
  alternatives available

15
Open fire

• What are you going to burn?
• Coal
• Wood
• Is the chimney swept and safe to use?
• Is the grate or other parts of the fire fit to
  use?
• What about the back boiler, if there is one?
  (Remember if it is just full of air it could
  explode when heated.)

16
Other ways of keeping warm

• Dress warmly e.g. many layers of clothes
• Use thermos flasks to keep soup and hot drinks
  warm
• Hot water bottles

17
COOKING

• Camping stove
• Open fire
• Other outdoor cookers
• Manual alternatives for kitchen aids (Remember if
  no power then cannot use electric tin openers,
  electric knives, electric food processors)

18
Camping stove

• Need to check how they work and to practise using
  them
• Mostly single or double burners
• Can use ordinary but smaller cookware, even a
  pressure cooker
• Remember though, you may need another kettle if
  you normally use an electric one
• Can have toasting attachment
• Can have camp oven on top

19
Open fire

• Use toasting fork or long barbecue tools with
  bread
• If available, you could use a dutch oven which is
  like a cast iron casserole on legs on fire itself
  (but hard to obtain in UK)
• Older methods of suspending food over fire are
  not very practical with an open fire in the main
  room in a modern house

20
Other outdoor cookers

• Barbecues and chimineas are NOT suitable for use
  inside the house because of the risk of carbon
  monoxide poisoning.
• They also need to be kept well away from the
  house, shed etc. in case they set them alight.

21
What to eat?

• The contents of the freezer will survive intact
  for 24 hours if the door stays shut
• Some food can be eaten without cooking such as
  corned beef, sweet corn and bread
• Organise an impromptu fondue party by candle light

22
Taking care of the freezer

• Do not open it so that the cold stays in.
• If possible insulate it with blankets
• Check the household insurance to see if loss of
  food in the freezer is covered
• Consider taking out further insurance

23
If staying in one room

• Remember need for ventilation
• Consider using a carbon monoxide detector
• Sleeping arrangements like sleeping bags, air
  beds
• Easy to heat and light one room if the weather is
  really bad
• Useful if it is likely to take a while to get
  back to normal

24
ENTERTAINMENT

• Battery operated radios and televisions
• Wind up radio
• Board games
• Conversation (ouch!)
• Early night (but take care)

Keeping occupied without a television (or
computer)
25
COMMUNICATION

• Use phones that need recharging sensibly
• If you phone is dependent on mains electricity
  consider buying an alternative one for
  emergencies
• Tune into local radio to find out what is
  happening
• Make sure the power company know you are waiting
  for them to restore your power
• Make sure you can still tell the time and get up
  on time as many alarm clocks run off the mains

26
Other suggestions

• Switch off all electrical things except what is
  normally on all the time like clocks central
  heating and fridges
• Better still unplug leads and leave them out of
  the way especially any electrical heaters that
  are on
• While it is light make sure you prepare for the
  dark e.g. deal with possible trip hazards

27
Other possible problems

• Clothes trapped in the washer or dryer might not
  be released until power returns
• Burglar alarm goes off or re-sets itself
• Some clocks stop working including alarm clocks
• No more hot water to replace that used
• Shower does not work

28
PLANNING

• What do you need to buy?
• What else will be useful?
• Collect useful items

29
What do you need to buy?

• Here are a few questions to help you work out
  your needs
• What do you have already e.g. camping gear, coal
  fire?
• How many people are there in the household?
• Will everyone stay in the same room?
• What are the skills and abilities of the entire
  household?

30
What else will be useful?

• There is no point in getting out a piece of
  equipment and it not working, so remember to
  check everything at least once a year
• All responsible people in the household need to
  know how to use the equipment and where to find
  it
• Consider doing first aid or fire training courses

31
Collect useful items

• Develop a spending plan so that items are
  acquired without going seriously into debt
• Keep eyes open for sales and special offers
• Investigate different shops e.g. army surplus
  stores and camping/caravan shops
• If you look after things, they will last a long
  time and you will use them many times to make
  life more comfortable