How to survive load shedding
Be extra vigilant as visibility will be poor and always treat a traffic light that is not working as a four-way stop.
Besides reducing your electricity consumption (especially between the peak 17:00 to 21:00), unplugging your appliances when you’re not using them, using gas heaters instead of electric heaters and stocking up on warm blankets, here are some useful tips provided by Dial Direct on how to survive a power outage:
– Keep the proposed load shedding schedule at hand so you and your family can be prepared for the next power outage.
– Make sure your alarm systems, garage doors and electric gates all have working back-up batteries to ensure your safety.
– Buy a mobile panic button which runs off batteries that is directly linked to a reputable emergency response company.
– Keep you cell phone laptop and iPad battery fully charged so it is usable during a power outage.
– Use LED globes with a rechargeable battery back-up so when the power is out you can make use of the globe to produce light.
– Keep an oil lamp, torch or solar, battery powered light or lantern or a charged portable light in easily accessible locations around your home to avoid struggling in the dark.
– To ensure you fridge and freezer contents make it through the night or the duration of the power outage do not open and close it too much.
– Keep boiled water in a flask so you can enjoy a cup of coffee or heat your baby’s bottles without electricity.
– Buy a portable generator and always keep fuel at hand.
– During a power cut the electrical fences and security systems will go offline, make sure you are covered by a good home contents policy to prevent loss.
Be extra vigilant as visibility will be poor and always treat a traffic light that is not working as a four-way stop,” said John October, spokesperson for Dial Direct Insurance.
