Crisis-Ready Society
Scenarios / Power, water & technology

Power outage

A blackout can cut lighting, cooling, refrigeration, phone charging and medical devices for hours or days. This page helps your family prepare, stay safe while the power is off, and restart your home safely afterwards.

High preparedness value
In the UAEIn Dubai, check the outage cause with DEWA's Smart Response service in its app or website. For faults inside your building, call your building maintenance team or a licensed electrician. For faults on DEWA's network, call 991.[6]

Before

  • Write key phone numbers, including your power fault line, on paper and keep them handy.[3]
  • Keep torches, a battery or wind-up radio and spare batteries where everyone can find them.[1]
  • Keep a charged power bank and backup batteries for any medical device you rely on.[3]
  • Fit a carbon monoxide alarm with battery backup and keep smoke alarms working.[2]
  • Put thermometers in your fridge and freezer and keep frozen gel packs or water bottles ready.[4]
  • Protect computers and televisions with surge protector power strips.[2]
  • Ask your doctor how to manage medicines that need cooling and devices that need power.[2]
  • Agree a plan to check on neighbours, especially older or vulnerable people.[3]

During

  • Check your fuse box first. If neighbours are also dark, report the outage to your utility.[1]
  • Switch off or unplug appliances and electronics to avoid a surge when power returns.[2]
  • Keep fridge and freezer doors shut. A closed fridge keeps food safe for about 4 hours.[4]
  • Use torches rather than candles. If you must use candles, never leave them unattended.[1]
  • Never run generators, barbecues or camping heaters indoors, in garages or near windows.[5]
  • Run any generator outside, at least 6 metres (20 feet) from doors, windows and vents.[5]
  • Never plug a generator into a wall socket. It can harm utility workers.[1]
  • If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get out at once and call emergency services.[2]

After

  • Keep well away from fallen power lines and report them to the authorities.[2]
  • Reconnect heating or cooling first, then fridge and freezer, then other appliances 10 to 15 minutes later.[1]
  • Make sure your water heater is full before switching its power back on.[2]
  • Do not use wet sockets or flooded appliances until an electrician has checked them.[1]
  • Throw away perishable food left without power or cold for over 4 hours. Never taste test.[4]
  • Refreeze or cook thawed food only if it still has ice crystals or reads 4°C (40°F) or below.[4]
  • Reset clocks and alarms, then replace any kit supplies you used.[1]

Watch: 60-second guides

Power cut? Is the food in your fridge still safe?

Generator safety: the rule that saves lives

Videos need an internet connection. Some videos mention numbers for other countries: in the UAE call 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 fire. More on our YouTube channel.

Official sources

  1. Public Safety Canada (GetPrepared.ca): Power Outages: What to do?
  2. Government of Canada: Power outages: Get prepared
  3. UK Government (Prepare): Get prepared for emergencies
  4. CDC: Keep Food Safe After a Disaster or Emergency
  5. CDC: Avoiding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
  6. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA): DEWA urges customers to take precautions to avoid power disruptions during rainy season

Steps are written in our own words from these pages. If advice from your local authority differs, follow your local authority.

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