Blackouts for beginners

IrishRose12

Thanks for this thread.
My parents grew up through the war and troubles so we're quite accustomed to electric being out etc so we're always well prepared.
It has always been drummed into us to have an emergency box with candle sticks and their holders, along with torches and a battery-operated radio along with lots of spare batteries of all sizes just in case.  We keep them in a box in the kitchen cupboard and batteries etc are checked every 6 months if they haven't been used for some reason.  Not very often they've not been used at some stage in the year.
We also have lots of tealights as we love our candles here lol.  So, an endless supply of the 8hr ones, along with boxes of matches.  We have a small camping stove with gas cannisters, some camping lights and lots of powers banks for phones and tablets.  We have been using these portable power banks for quite a few years now so there's always a couple already charged. 
We have a landline phone connected as does my mum, we use this more than our mobile phones TBH.  We've lots of elderly family members who depend on landlines and don't use mobile phones, tablets etc so we are dependent on those lines. 

I am considering ordering a few other battery-operated LED lights, but not 100% on that just yet as we have quite a few sets of Christmas battery operated lights so maybe just stick with those.
I have ordered some extra gas cannisters for the camping stove though.
My main concern is heat if the electric goes off.  We have Gas heating, but we need the electric to be on for the gas to turn on, and with a few elderly vulnerable family members that's the big concern for us. 

Longwalker

Growing up through the 3 day week and the power strikes, miners strikes and everyone else on strike ( deja vu anyone) Id say just dont over think it.

If we get to the stage we are going to have power outages, it appears they are looking to be about 3 or 4 hours per a region at a time, so no one is going to either freeze or starve. Make sure you have a candle box and matches with the saucers to base the candles in an easily excusable place ( out of the reach of children )  Pop into Homebargains and the likes and pick up some cheap head torches, they are great for making children feel its an adventure, and so much safer to be walking around in the dark for everyone.

A power bank for a phone is a great help, esp if like us its the alarm in the morning, plus you can connect to the internet with it when your router is off . However dont panic, you can charge in the car if need be.

If you are all electric, then a wee camping stove and a couple of gas canisters are worth their weight in gold. It was only 12 years ago that we went 7 days with no electric or heating in one of the worse winters here, but having hot water for hot water bottles, hot drinks, and a means to heat food kept us going ( parents were in their 70s at the time ). If as it was in the 70s, you get to know before the power is going off at such time, eat before, and fill flasks and if need be hot water bottles

I also have those battery motion sensor lights in the hallways and on the stairs, all year, means we are used to moving around typically dark area safely without having to put the lights on.

For those with children, get the cards and games out somewhere easily reached. Have lots of snuggly throws, Jim jams, dressing gowns etc. Make hot chocolate,( using the hot water from the flasks ) crack out the biscuits and enjoy a family game and hell, if you have real little ones, snuggle in bed and tell stories 

A couple of flasks are so important if bottle feeding, so mums with children that age, get in the habit of keeping one filled. if you dont use it for heating a bottle, if we dont get the power cuts, use it to wash up

VJsmum

I've just experienced a little of this on holiday in South Africa.  They call it 'load shedding' but it's rolling blackouts.  Dates and times are known in advance - more or less.

Being on holiday is different to being at home, of course, but the thing we found most useful was a head torch.  Using one of those totally frees up both hands and you can direct it where needed.  A large powerbank was useful and a flask for hot water.

I have a kelly kettle but that would be tricky on a dark evening outside. 

Langerhan

Floss said:

Langerhan said:

some people need power 24/7, and I hope the power companies are working with the NHS to make sure they're provided for ...

The hospital I work at has generators which are tested regularly, as are the staff processes for being off mains power, it is an NHS requirement as is a copper cable backup switchboard setup.

I assumed that hospitals would have generators - my concern was for people at home who use the sort of oxygen which requires mains power, etc.

newlywed

Have ordered extra 8 hour tealights (use them anyway in the bathroom instead of spray air freshener.

ordered 2 power banks (one each) as mine is getting slower and I use it most weeks when I go for long walks.

have a small stock of food we can eat cold from the tin… potatoes, corned beef, curry, sweetcorn, rice pud.

have bottled water.

and already have some torches and blankets. Have a large flask and multiple small ones. Have a slow cooker and never thought it might keep warm for some hours after, so that might be worth a try.


we live in a flat so bbq and camping stove are a bit more tricky. 

Might have to work out ways to boil water with tealights tho….

then we are pretty much sorted, even if a blackout was longer than planned.

WeegieWumman

Don't forget that camera doorbells or other electric doorbells won't work.  Also, people who have gas cookers with 'ignition buttons' will need cigarette lighters or matches to light the gas. 

daz378

I suppose lifts will be out....16 floor stroll  lovely

Slinky

newlywed said:

Have a slow cooker and never thought it might keep warm for some hours after, so that might be worth a try.

Wrap in some towels and put some on top and it will keep warm for some considerable time. I do this with a saucepan of soup if we decide to do our daily walk after I've cooked, but but before we've eaten lunch.

timehastoldme

Bought a rechargeable neck torch for knitting and I'm pretty impressed with it! I'm always forgetting what the last bit i did was so it's good to be able to check. Will keep it topped up for black out reading and crafting.

Also useful for dealing with my over 40's random chin whiskers (thanks a bunch, ageing). 

jackrabbit123

We stay in the Highlands 'out in the sticks ' and have done for many years, our electricity ( we aren't on gas mains) frequently gets cut off throughout the winter due to snow, storms etc and can be cut off for a week or more at a time such as last year. We are very lucky to have a wood burner which we can cook on, we also have a Rayburn which takes oil , we have to be frugal  with the oil as the tankers won't come down our 3 mile track in anything that resembles ice or snow! We do have a Genny which we use for the freezer and fridge and it also charges the phones. We have plenty of long hand held lighters for candles, tea lights we buy by the 100's ! We have a solar board which stays in the sun when not in use charging up and two wind up  radios and torches. We have a kelly kettle which we use on the wood burner and we live out of the sitting room which the children have always loved doing, it's an adventure to them,  playing games such as charades, and board games! We have plenty of blankets too. @Scrimps On a Friday evening in the colder months we have Hygga evening which we light candles and the fire ( no phones, computers etc)  and read and talk and play board games, our boys, my eldest being disabled have  got used to this so having the electricity off doesn't phase them now. Hope this helps!