The impact of increasingly severe weather often leaves thousands without power for days, as experienced recently during Storm Amy and Storm Bram. Yet research from NICEIC has revealed almost one in eight UK homes have no back-up power essentials in the event of a power outage. It also suggests that many people either haven’t considered, or are not prioritising, measures that could mitigate the impacts of an electrical blackout.
The findings come following the release of the government’s Resilience Action Plan in July, encouraging the public to be prepared for ‘volatile, varied and interconnected’ risks, such as ‘natural hazards, deliberate attacks, geopolitical instability, disease outbreaks and other disruptive events, civil emergencies or threats to our way of life’. This includes obtaining recommended emergency supplies, including back-up power equipment.
NICEIC’s survey of 2,000 UK adults also found that 45% of people don’t even own a torch. Similarly, nearly three-quarters (74%) do not have a battery powered or wind-up radio and 57% of people don’t have a power bank to charge electronic devices for communication.
Safety is key during a widespread power outage. One in five listed ‘feeling vulnerable and unsafe’ among their top three concerns, with 24 per cent of those aged 16-24 the most likely to be concerned for their safety, compared to only 16% of those aged 55 or over. 20% of young people also worry about the risk of fire or electric shock. Despite this, over one third of respondents said lighting candles would be one of their top three actions during a power cut, increasing fire risks particularly if candles are lit in unattended rooms.
The research also found the public is not as concerned about their electrical appliances in a power cut as they should be. If lightning strikes nearby or hits your home, power lines and your electrical installation can experience a sudden, severe surge of electricity. 82% of respondents did not list ‘damage to home electrics and appliances’ as a top three concern in a power cut. Less than 20% would unplug large appliances as a priority in a blackout, while only 18% would do so for small appliances.
Instead, the public’s main concern is the food in their fridge/freezer going off (54%, followed by loss of heating and hot water (34%). 43% would prioritise first checking to see if their neighbour had lost their power too and 42% would first report the power outage to their electricity provider.
Contributors
Rob Shepherd (author)
Rob is Consulting Editor for InstallerELECTRIC. He is a well-respected journalist with a strong history in the electrical sector.
