The first storm of the winter is on its way, with Storm Amy due to hit the UK this weekend. The Met Office has issued a Yellow Weather Warning for parts of the UK on Saturday and Sunday.
A large swathe of Wales and South West England is likely to be affected, as well as England's South Coast, with wind speeds of up to 80mph expected. The warning is in place from 8pm on Sunday evening until 6pm on Monday.
With more extreme weather and storms becoming a more regular feature of our winters, it's a wise move to make sure you're prepared in the event of a power cut.
Although they're often a short-lived inconvenience, power cuts have the potential to be dangerous events. As our homes and lives become more dependent on technology, losing your electrical supply can now be more disruptive than ever.
We're not suggesting you need to start prepping for the apocalypse just yet, but here's 5 items that you'll be glad to have in the event of a power outage.
First aid kit
Stumbling around in the darkness is a very easy way to injure yourself, and locating which bathroom drawer has the plasters in can be tricky in low light. Make sure you're covered for any injury scenario with a dedicated first aid kit. This one even includes a handy glow stick, perfect for power cuts!
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Rechargeable lamp and power bank
Sure, lighting candles can add a sense of ambience to a power cut, but they're not that helpful (or safe) if you need to go between rooms. Instead, this emergency camping lamp has you covered for every eventuality. It's got a 3000mAh rechargeable battery which can give you up to 30 hours of light when fully charged, and can even be charged by the integrated hand-crank or solar panel... just in case you forgot to plug it in before the power cut! It can also be used as a power-bank for your phone and as a flashlight too!
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Anker laptop power bank
Most of us think of power cuts as a night-time occurrence, but if you get one during the day it can be surprisingly disruptive, especially if you rely on technology for your job. While you can get around the WiFi being down by creating a mobile data hotspot, you're stuck if your laptop runs out of power. That's where a dedicated Anker power bank will come in handy.
These clever little devices deliver a huge 27,650mAh power supply that's capable of charging an iPhone 14 nearly 5 times over, or charging 16-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) to 50% in just 28 minutes. And if the lights do go out and you can't locate your power bank, it even comes with a handy 'find my power bank' feature too!
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Xtralite night light and torch
Here's a clever device that parents in particular will appreciate. Power cuts can be scary for little ones, especially if they're wake up and it's pitch black. This Xtralite night light and torch features a motion sensor and dusk-to-dawn night light mode, but also has a power failure sensor which will automatically turn the light on. It's ideal for having in a hallway outside a child's room, plus you can take it out of the holder and use it as a torch too!
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Cano canned water
Normally it's only your hot water that will be affected in the case of a power cut, but if you get hit by a particularly strong winter storm it's possible you could encounter the nightmare scenario of having frozen water pipes as well as no power. It's always a good ideas to have some clean drinking water in your home for emergencies, and these packs of canned water are not only fully recyclable but also much easier to store than large plastic bottles.
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Top tips for power cuts
- Make sure torches, candles and matches are in a memorable and accessible location.
- Know where your fuse board is and how to check if a switch has been tripped.
- Ensure you have warm blankets as your heating will not work in a power cut.
- Camping stoves can be an alternative way to cook or boil water in the event of a significant power outage.
- Be aware that your fridge and freezer will not work in the event of a power cut, so try to keep their doors closed as much as possible.
- Stock up on tinned or non-perishable food that does not require cooking for emergency meals
