If you’ve being paying attention to the media over the past week, you’ll no doubt have picked up on the murmurings around the potential for blackouts over the coming winter.
Now, whilst the likelihood of the gas running out and the power turning off are, perhaps rightly, being downplayed, it is nevertheless always sensible to be prepared should the unlikely occur.
Because, the truth of the matter is, a power cut can happen at any time for any number of reasons.
Usually these are brief and can be resolved with a minimum of fuss. However, on the odd occasion, situations can be more complicated and the time it can take to fix whatever issues there are can stretch beyond comfort for us folk sitting tightly at home.
So, what can we do?
Whilst having no power can be scary, there are ways to help make the, hopefully brief, spell a bit more manageable.
Let’s take a look now at 5 ways you can prepare for a blackout.
Let There Be Light: If there is a loss of power at night time, the first thing you’ll notice, strangely enough, is that you can’t see. To keep this distressing sensation as short as possible, make sure you have battery operated torches fully charged and available. It’s also good to be well stocked with candles as a companion or even an alternative, but be mindful of the safety implications. If you are going to use candles, make sure there is nothing they can catch onto, that you’re always present and, yes, that you have matches or a lighter.
First Aid: One of the obvious reasons having light around is a good idea is that you are far less likely to injure yourself if you can see what you’re doing. But, strange things do happen. So, if you’ve cut yourself or even just have a headache, have a box located within easy access that has all the necessary items. Hopefully you won’t need it, but it’s far better to have it than not.
Radio Waves: We rely so much on our phones, laptops and televisions for our entertainment and information that it is easy to not think about any alternatives. If you can’t plug these things in to charge them up, they won’t be available, or won’t be available for long. Battery powered radios, even solar and wind up radios, will be a great source of information whilst you sit tight. You could even listen to a tune or a rollocking radio play. Now doesn’t that sound like fun from a bygone era?
Emergency Food: Having a stash of non-perishable food tucked away is always encouraged for a variety of reasons, but none more obvious than the subject we’re on today. Get yourself a box or a dedicated space somewhere in the home, and fill it full of food that will last and that requires no attention other than to open and eat. Calling Deliveroo might not be an option today, so get stocked up and be ready for the long haul.
Blanket Up: The days and nights are getting colder. You don’t have any heating or even access to a warm cup of tea. The priority here is to eat, stay hydrated and keep warm. Make sure you have plenty of thick blankets available to keep you and your family snug whilst the radiators sit unused. Have a snooze and this will all blow over soon.
We’ve all had a power outage and some point and it is usually brief and painless.
However, it is never a bad thing to be ready for the worst case scenario. Do that, and you can take a bad situation and turn it into an exercise of resilience and imaginative problem solving.
From everyone here at Belvoir Edinburgh, we hope you are doing well.
Take care. And good luck.
