How to stay safe during a power outage

Storm Eowyn threatens to bring near hurricane-force winds to parts of the country on Friday, meaning there's likely to be extensive damage to the country's electricity infrastructure.

So unfortunately thousands of homes may be without power over the coming days.

Outages are never welcome and can leave those affected with countless questions: 'When will my power return?', 'How do I stay safe?', ‘Should I unplug my fridge?'

So if you're worried about losing power, here's some useful information to help you stay safe, secure, and up-to-date during a stint without electricity.

What is a power outage? 

A power outage occurs when high winds and falling trees cause overhead power lines to break and fall leading to a localised loss of power. 

These are somewhat common during late autumn and winter, particularly along coastal areas of the West and higher ground, which are usually exposed to the strongest winds. 

A power outage is different to an electricity blackout, which occurs when there is a total crash of the electricity grid due to a mismatch between power generation and power consumption, which usually results in power loss to a large region. 

Preparing for a power outage

Stocking up on essentials is a good idea and having an emergency outage kit that includes a good torch, batteries, candles, and matches should be a must for every household. 

Consider the following tips when preparing for a power outage...

Lighting

Light is likely the first thing you’ll notice is gone if a power cut occurs. To prepare accordingly, here are some tips: 

• Be careful if using candles and matches, it may be safer to buy a rechargeable lantern, such as those used for camping.
• Have a torch to hand with an extra supply of batteries.
• Store these light sources in an easy-to-access drawer, ​​so you can find them easily and quickly in the pitch dark. Remember, you can use your phone's torch light to guide you.

Heating

One of your biggest concerns during a power outage will be the lack of heat. Note that most homeowners with a gas central heating system will also, unfortunately, be without heat during a power cut as most gas appliances still rely on mains-operated pumps, fans, and electronic controls etc to work.

Here are some tips to keep warm:

• Have a stash of blankets at the ready to keep warm.
• Candles are a surprisingly effective way to give a bit of warmth to your home as well as light.   
• Keep all doors and windows closed as much as possible to retain any heat in the house.
• Draught-proof your home by sealing gaps in windows and doors, or purchase a draught-excluder for putting at the foot of doors. This will keep warm air in and cold air out, which is crucial. You can learn more about draught-proofing your home in this article. 
  
• If you have an open fire, ensure your fuel supply is fully stocked and you have firelighters and matches.
• When power is restored you may need to reset your heating control systems. 

Electronics and entertainment

• Keep your fridge and freezer closed as much as possible. Your appliance should keep cold for a few hours at least. However, place a towel underneath your freezer just in case.
• Turn off appliances that could be a fire risk because they will come back on while unattended when the electricity returns. Appliances like ovens, cookers, hair straighteners, and irons could result in a fire if left unoccupied when the power returns. You should, however, keep the odd light turned on so you'll notice when your power returns. 
• If you have a spare phone, keep it fully charged but turned off, and place it where it can be found easily. 
• Remember to keep any power banks you have fully charged. This way, you'll be able to charge your phone.
• As your Wi-Fi, TV and computer will be down, it’s a good idea to have a few shows downloaded on a (fully charged) laptop or iPad.
• Similarly, you may want to have a good book or a few magazines at hand to keep you occupied!
• If you live with family or friends, consider investing in a few board games that you could play. 
• Remember, for reading or board games, you’ll need efficient lighting, so don’t forget to stock up on torches or rechargeable lanterns, as mentioned above! 
  

Consider buying a portable generator

• Generators can vary vastly in price, costing from hundreds of euros to thousands.
• For example, for €1,800 you can buy a 15-litre tank diesel-powered generator, which could power a typical house for approximately 12 hours. 
• Generators being sold for domestic use are designed to kick in when/if the main supply goes down. They have to be installed and connected to the house by a qualified electrician, so this should be factored into the total cost as well.

Other ways to prepare

• During an outage, ATMs may also be affected while payment systems may go down so having a small amount of cash on you is not a bad idea. However, most shops are unlikely to sell you anything if their tills aren't working.  
• If you’re taking any prescription medication, make sure you have an adequate supply on hand at the first sign of extreme weather.
• For medications that must remain cold, keep an ice chest handy. Store ice packs in your freezer and place in the ice chest.
• If you use electricity to heat your water, conserve use as much as possible. 
• Keep your cupboard stocked with some easy-to-open, non-perishable foods that require no cooking.
• If you’re stuck when it comes to food, consider buying a few disposable barbecues just in case you need to cook.

Staying safe during a power outage

It’s very important to stay well away from fallen or damaged electricity wires or poles during a power outage. If you come across damaged wires that aren’t being attended to by professionals, you should call ESB Networks or 112 as soon as you can. And remember to always keep a safe distance.

Stay at home and don’t venture out if possible. Street lights and traffic lights will likely be out of action, making travelling more dangerous.

Check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours

• If your power goes and you do manage to find out how long it will be gone for, let your neighbours know.
• Check in on neighbours, especially those who are vulnerable or elderly. If they live alone, consider inviting them in for food or to stay warm.

Vulnerable households

A continuous supply of energy to a home may be required for people who rely on electrical medical equipment, such as ventilators, oxygen concentrators or home dialysis machinery. 

If you fall into this category, make sure to register yourself as a vulnerable customer with your local electricity provider. 

You should be prepared to reach out to family, friends, and your local hospital if a medical emergency occurs. In the event of an emergency, you should call 999.

How long does it usually take for power to return?

When storms are forecast, ESB Networks crews take up stations in the areas that are expected to be the worst affected and are on call to help fix fallen wires as needed.

In many cases, these crews are able to get electricity connections back up and running in a matter of hours.

However, crews sometimes have to wait some time before it is actually safe to get to work on fixing fallen power lines. It can also be difficult to locate and access damaged areas during particularly bad weather. In cases such as these, you may have to endure longer delays but anything over 36 hours is exceptionally rare.  

How can you get updates on faults?

If you’ve experienced a power outage, ESB Networks’ Fault Logging system allows you to check the status of your exact address. You just have to enter your MPRN (which is an 11-digit number written on your electricity bill) or account reference number, name and phone number to get an update this way.

ESB also provides updates and estimated restore times on its PowerCheck map and via its PowerCheck app, which is available on Android and iOS. This is another good place to get a sense of how long you’re likely to be without electricity.

You should also keep an eye on ESB Networks’ Twitter account, where you can tweet specific questions and get live updates.

In the case of an emergency, you can phone ESB Networks on 1850 372 999 or +353 21 238 2410.

Stay safe

Thankfully, severe weather events are still a novelty in Ireland and they usually pass quickly.

But if you do happen to suffer a power outage, follow the tips above, try to stay calm and remember to check on your neighbours if safe to do so.

And most important of all, stay safe and keep up-to-date with the latest weather and travel advice from the likes of Met Eireann and the AA.