Here’s what to do when the power goes out

Parts of Benoni are without electricity due to a main substation on Pretoria Road going up in flames.

Aon provides the following tips to heed when confronted with a power interruption:

•  Invest in emergency lighting such as solar lighting to keep your property illuminated – light is a deterrent to criminals.
•  Make sure your battery back-ups on electric fences and alarms are working and, if necessary, consider additional battery capacity for extended outages.
•  Keep a chain and lock handy to lock any motorised gates that you may have to leave on manual during an outage.
•  Make use of your armed response company to escort you in and out your premises during an outage, especially if you need to get out of your car to open the gate.
•  Make sure all appliances, like ovens, stove plates, hair dryers and so on, are switched off during an outage. If they are in use when the outage strikes, and you forget to switch them off while the power is out, you could face a fire disaster when the power comes back on, especially if you have left the premises or gone to sleep.
•  Put surge protection on all your electronic devices. Fridges, freezers, computers and audio equipment are particularly sensitive to power surges. Many insurance policies stipulate surge protection as part of the terms and conditions of cover.
•  Be particularly vigilant when using gas or open candle flames. Make sure the gas is properly turned off when not in use and do not use either gas or candles in draughty areas.
•  Power outages have wreaked havoc in traffic and many roads are gridlocked for hours at a time. Smash-and-grab criminals use the situation to survey vehicles for valuables such as laptops, phones and handbags left on seats. Make sure you lock all valuables out of sight in the boot and remain extra vigilant in traffic.