Power outages

Before: make the plan

1. List the devices you actually need: communication, lighting, and any medically essential equipment. Record their power requirements.
2. Charge battery packs and check your torches. Agree on a check-in plan with someone outside your area.
3. If you depend on powered medical equipment, arrange a backup plan with your clinician and equipment supplier before an outage.

During: protect people

1. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Use official food-safety guidance to decide what to discard.
2. Never run a generator in a garage, even with the door open. Use battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms.
3. Avoid fallen power lines. Do not connect a generator to a household wall outlet. A building connection needs an approved transfer system installed by a qualified professional.

After: recover carefully

1. Follow utility restoration notices. Inspect equipment for water damage before energising it.
2. Recharge supplies and write down what ran out first. Adjust the plan while the experience is fresh.

Choose the loads before the battery

Write a short list of what must keep running: lighting, communication, refrigeration or other essential equipment. Record running watts, startup requirements and the hours you need. A large battery is not useful if its output cannot start an appliance or its connectors do not match. Use the runtime calculator for a continuous-load estimate, then check the exact equipment documentation.

Make a plan that survives a flat battery

Agree on where to go if charging or safe temperature control becomes unavailable. Keep key information on paper and check that everyone knows how to use the chosen lights and chargers. A solar panel is a charging option, not a guarantee; season, shade and weather can change its output. Practice with the equipment before an outage.

Tools for your plan

• Battery runtime calculator
• Power equipment research