During a power outage

• Turn off appliances, especially ovens, stoves, electric jugs or kettles, heaters, or anything else that might be damaged if it comes on unexpectedly when the power is restored (especially if you decide to leave your home or shut up your shop early) 
• Turn off and unplug any sensitive appliances like TVs and computers and leave them unplugged until the power comes back on. These can be affected by a power surge when power is restored 
• DO NOT touch or use any electrical appliances while barefoot in damp or wet conditions. This applies even in an outage, you never know when the power will come back on 

• Remember to keep your fridge and freezer door closed as much as possible. An unopened fridge will keep your food cool for at least 4 hours. A half-full freezer will keep your food chilled for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for up to 48 hours.  
• Eat the food from your fridge first, then the freezer, before you eat the food in the cupboard 
• Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical supplies

• Use a torch instead of candles (a torch is safer) 
• Leave a light on so you can tell when the power has been restored 

• Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic lights may not be working and the roads may be congested 
• Staying safe in a power outage is important, read our safety tips here 
• If you are concerned about your health and safety, please either contact your healthcare professional or go to the local hospital. In an emergency, always call 111 

• Extend the battery life on your mobile phone by turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and closing any apps running in the background 
• You can also use your car’s 12v socket/USB port as a charger – but be careful not to run your car battery flat
• If you choose to hire your own generator, make sure you follow the instructions provided to you by your generator supplier

There are plenty of things you can do without TV, phones or computers. Here are some ideas:  

• Board games, card games, arts & crafts, charades, build a fort, tell a story, read a book or play outside 
• Do some gardening without the power tools 
• You might even want to go out for the day, so you are unaffected by the outage

• If you can, check our real-time outage updates 
• A battery-operated radio will keep you informed of the latest news
• You can also listen to your car radio to get the latest news