Planning for no power on-farm
If you live rurally, it’s essential to be well-prepared for power outages as there are several different factors that will impact you, compared to other residential customers.
Rural customers may also have no water tor sewage pumps during a power outage. Ensure you have supplies of water on hand and a plan that the household is aware of what to do when you are without electricity.
Rural customers could also consider investing in a reliable generator and ensuring you have enough fuel. If you are unsure what generator would be right for you, consider contacting an electrician to help specify a suitable one. Click here for our generator safety tips
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Food, water & heat
- If you have the option of using gas a BBQ/camping stove, consider storing a spare gas canister.
- In rural areas, when the power is off, your water pump might not work. To ensure you have adequate supplies, be prepared by storing emergency water supplies for drinking and washing.
- Store a sealed plastic box full of food that doesn’t need to be cooked, (e.g. crackers, preserves, chocolate etc.).
- Depending on the time of year, keep blankets and sleeping bags handy in case you are left without a heat source.
- If you don’t have access to water in a power outage, keep a bottle of sanitizer handy for bathroom and food handling needs.
Lighting
- Keep a torch/es and spare batteries in a place that’s easy to access.
- Visit your local hardware store/camping and outdoor store for longer lasting candles. Store these, and a box of matches, in an easy to find place, especially its pitch black.
- If your power goes out at night, be prepared with battery-operated lighting.
Protection
- To protect household electrical appliances from power interruptions, consider using a surge protection device.
- If you have electric doors on your garage or live in an electronically gated area, check you know how to manually override it.
- If you have a house alarm, ensure you have a backup battery supply during an outage. Check with your house alarm provider for more information.
- Ensure you have enough mobile data for internet use (if applicable).
- Be prepared by keeping a First Aid Kit handy for everyday use and you’ll also be prepared for a planned/unplanned outage event too!
- Consider if you need a generator. Ask a local registered electrician if you are not sure what size generator you need.
Outage factsheets
Usefull factsheets and information for planning for an outage.
This fact sheet is designed to inform you about using generators
safely in the event of a power outage.
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If you need some assistance or advice, please get in touch with our team.
