Exposed electricity can be deadly. So if you’re in a situation where you may be near a live wire, you need to move carefully and make smart calls. In the event of an emergency, always call emergency services on 000 if there’s any risk to someone’s life or property.
Your priority should be to keep the area isolated from family and anyone else nearby. There’s a possibility that the wire is live, meaning anything touching can act as a conductor (from cars to branches). Keeping your distance is the safest option.
Always call 000 in any emergency circumstances. The service is there to provide immediate assistance and keep you safe, so don’t be afraid to call and ask for help.
If you notice any damage to power poles, wires and meters and the event isn’t life-threatening, you’ll need to call your local energy distributor. Your distributor will send a team to neutralise the power, assess the situation, safely clear the space, and start their repairs.
Make sure everyone in your household is safe and accounted for, then try to work out what parts of your house have lost power.
If your whole house is in the dark, check in with your neighbours to see if they’re in the same boat.
If the event isn’t life-threatening, you’ll need to call your local energy distributor.
If there’s an outage or supply issue, they can provide you information on when the power or gas should be back up and running.
Get your house in order for a potentially long wait. This means keeping the fridge closed and tidying up .
If it’ll take a while to get running again, try and get out of the house and do something fun or productive (or both).
If you’re reading this and there isn’t a power outage right now, why not make sure you’re prepared when one does come along? Your future self may appreciate it.
A kit like this could include a flashlight, an electric lantern for light; a first aid kit for safety; and a pack of playing cards for entertainment.
You won’t be able to use your fridge, microwave or electric stove, so you’ll need to have food you can eat (like corn chips and salsa). Ice packs are always handy to have as well, keeping your food cold for longer. You should also keep these food items in a specific location, so they’re easier to find in the dark.
By keeping your phones and laptops charged, you’ll be better equipped to handle a blackout when it comes around. It’s also a great idea to have an external phone charger in the house and regularly check that it’s charged.