| Preparing for incoming; the 10 Keeps | | | | Keep water in your bathtub. During a power cut, |
| Ice storms, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and | | | | the electric pumps that distribute water around |
| hurricanes can cause complete destruction to | | | | the house will not work for flushing toilets etc. So |
| power systems all over the country. It takes | | | | make sure the bath is filled. |
| time to clear away debris, deliver new poles | | | | Keep car fuelled up in the garage. It might be |
| transformers and equipment to recover the | | | | necessary for you relocate at short notice. Fuel |
| system. Even with the advanced equipment, it | | | | stations maybe without power too. |
| could be days before some get there power | | | | Keep your laptop and mobile phones fully charged. |
| back online. So if a storm is coming your way, | | | | You might need these for additional methods of |
| take heed of the following keeps: | | | | communication. |
| Keep your house sealed tight. Make sure your | | | | Keep extra batteries for extra appliances. |
| windows, doors and garage doors are locked and | | | | Items to keep handy: |
| sealed. Check your garage door bottom or | | | | Flashlights and torches. Have these handy for |
| threshold seals and ensure that wind or water | | | | each member of the family. |
| cannot flood in. | | | | Battery-powered radio. You’ll need these to |
| Keep up to date with current weather conditions. | | | | listen to the latest weather reports. |
| Understanding the terminology that goes with | | | | Candles and matches. Use these with caution, |
| weather warnings and conditions is also important. | | | | especially when children are present. |
| Keep an updated personal list of emergency | | | | Fully charged mobile phone. Use this to contact |
| phone numbers. It’s hard to remember these | | | | authorities and services or check for latest |
| when faced with a crisis. Believe you me! | | | | updates and reports. |
| Keep the fridge and freezer set to the lowest | | | | Drinking water containers. It will be necessary |
| temperature setting. In a power cut, your food | | | | prepare drinking water whentaps and faucets are |
| will remain stored and edible for a longer period. | | | | not working. |
| Keep enough food in the house. Make a plan on | | | | Long-life food. Long life milk and food is always |
| how you and your family will survive in the event | | | | useful. Especially when there’s a power cut. |
| of a storm. If there’s a power cut or it’s | | | | Manual can opener. |
| dangerous to venture out, you won’t be able | | | | Cash . ATMs and bank machines may not be |
| to replenish your groceries or visit restaurants. | | | | working, keep cash handy just in case. |
| Also, if you have a barbeque or a gas grill in your | | | | Doors |
| garden, be sure to keep spare gas cylinders for | | | | Learn how to manually open all auto-doors or |
| cooking. | | | | gates. Garage doors are usually remote control |
| Keep alternative heating systems. Like gas for | | | | operated, so when the power is down the doors |
| example. If it’s winter and the electric | | | | won’t work. When manually closing the |
| power’s down, you may not be able to | | | | doors, make sure the bottom of the garage door |
| sufficiently heat your house. Make sure your | | | | makes contact with the threshold seal which is |
| house is insulated properly. Uninsulated garages, | | | | usually set horizontally along the threshold of the |
| doors and windows will make your house colder | | | | garage. |
| quicker. | | | | |