As the risk of load shedding rears its ugly head, it brings a multitude of risks to take heed of to protect your loved ones as well as your valuable possessions:
Fire
- While fires may sometimes be caused by unattended candles, they are often a result of electrical equipment being left on when the power goes out.
- Ensure that electrical equipment with manual switches are turned off should the power go out whilst in use. And when in doubt, simply unplug your devices to further protect these items from electricity spikes and surges once the power is restored.
Driving
- Power outages cause frustration and aggression in drivers, as well as carnage on the roads, with idle traffic lights resulting in extended daily commutes. This leads to an increase in basic road law transgressions, resulting in a higher risk of road accidents.
- Proceed into intersections with caution and trust your instincts. Refrain from going if you feel it isn’t safe to do so – even if it is your turn.
- Driving at night is especially dangerous during a blackout, as idle streetlights and un-illuminated intersections pose an extra safety hazard in terms of increased road accidents and criminal activity.
- Remain vigilant when coming to a stop, as well as entering and exiting your premises, and stay off your cell phone.
Vehicle Repairs
- Unfortunately, having no power means that hours of productivity are lost, which causes delays for most businesses.
- Panel beaters are also affected, which could mean your vehicle repair may take a bit longer than anticipated.
Battery Backups
- Make sure the backup battery on your home or business alarm system, electric fencing and gate motors are functioning correctly, to ensure that they will still operate when the power goes off. These could leave you exposed to criminal activity if the battery is not charging or operating correctly.
Illumination
- Strategically place battery-operated spotlights around your property to maintain visibility during a power outage.
- Carry a torch so that you can illuminate areas of suspicious activity in your garden.
Alarm System
- Make sure that you have your alarm system serviced regularly to ensure that it is functioning correctly.
- Ensure that you have tested your alarm system before the power goes out. To do this, you should arrange a testing session with your security service provider and ensure that they are receiving alarm signals even when the power is out.
- Ensure that you have your panic system ready on your cell phone during the power outage.
Your Home
- Ensure that your home is adequately secured and locked up, taking special note of vulnerable entry points such as windows and doors.
- Make sure that all appropriate local emergency numbers are easily accessible and save your security provider’s number on speed dial, in case of an emergency.
- Always remain vigilant - criminals will use the power outage as an opportunity to remain undetected when breaking the law.
As infuriating as these blackouts are for us all, we implore our clients to remain level-headed, cautious and safe during these inconvenient times. And as always, in darkness and in light, we are here for you every step of the way.