Utilities Failure

The most common warning of a lifeline outage is the warning of bad weather.

Think about what you would do if there is no power, no phones, no water or no internet? Visit:

How can I prepare for no power? | Get Ready

How Can I Prepare?

  • Have your utility company’s phone number, email and website address handy. That way you can report any faults and follow the progress on the restoring of services.
  • If you are reliant on electricity for a medical device, notify your electricity retailer directly.
  • Know when, where and how to turn off the water, electricity and gas at the mains switch to your home or business. Remember to treat all electrical equipment as ‘live’.
  • Ensure your business is prepared. Ensure you have UPS (battery back-up) to allow you to close down IT systems in a controlled manner and to keep your telephone system operating as long as possible. The more dependent your business is on electricity the more important it is for you to investigate and install emergency back-up options such as diesel-powered generators.
  • Generators are essential for back ups for dairy farms and other rural businesses.
  • Have different ways to charge your mobile phone: You can use a dynamo radio to charge some phones, or you can use your car to charge your phone, or keep charged power packs to plug them into.
  • Businesses with phone PABX or VOIP type circuits should be backed up by batteries or generators or they will fail during a power outage. If you have a home phones with a:
    • copper circuit then an analogue phone will work when the power is off, if it is connected straight to the exchange and the exchange is backed up by a generator. If your house is connected to a cabinet, then the phone will work provided the batteries hold charge at the cabinet.
    • fibre connection and the power goes off your phone will stop working, unless you have a generator.