60-second summary
- Prepare before an outage with lighting, charging, food, warmth and contact plans.
- Know how to report an outage and find your network operator.
- Protect medication and essential equipment that depends on electricity.
- Never use generators, barbecues or camping stoves indoors.
Overview
Power outages can happen with little or no warning. A practical household plan helps you protect lighting, communications, food, warmth, water and essential medical needs.
Key recommendations
Before an outage
Charge power banks, identify your electricity network operator, save essential contact details offline and keep torches where they can be reached in darkness.
During an outage
Use battery lighting rather than candles where possible. Check whether the interruption affects only your property, report the fault and conserve device power.
After power returns
Reconnect high-demand appliances gradually, check refrigerated food carefully and recharge every item used from your emergency supplies.
Practical steps
- Before an outage. Charge power banks, identify your electricity network operator, save essential contact details offline and keep torches where they can be reached in darkness.
- During an outage. Use battery lighting rather than candles where possible. Check whether the interruption affects only your property, report the fault and conserve device power.
- After power returns. Reconnect high-demand appliances gradually, check refrigerated food carefully and recharge every item used from your emergency supplies.
Household checklist
Essential items to review
- Battery torches and spare batteries
- Charged power banks
- Battery or wind-up radio
- Drinking water and shelf-stable food
- Written contacts and medical information
- Warm layers and blankets
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first in a power cut?
Check whether only your property is affected, use a torch rather than a flame, protect anyone who relies on powered medical equipment, and consult your network operator's official information.
Who should know about medical or accessibility needs?
Register eligible needs with the relevant utility priority service and keep a personal backup plan. Registration can provide support but cannot guarantee uninterrupted power.
How often should I review the plan?
Review it before winter and severe-weather seasons, after any household or medical change, and whenever torches, power banks, food, water or contact details are used or expire.
Using this guide safely
This page provides general preparedness information. Always follow current official instructions during a live incident and seek specialist advice for medical equipment, generators, heating appliances or water contamination.