What would you do in the first hours of a nationwide power cut? A handy tips thread.

BorgQueen · 2026-10-01T16:19:55+00:00

1. Before ANYTHING else : Fill 3 x 120l lidded storage boxes with water. Plus every bottle, pan and vase. 1. Go and collect my Grandson from school if he was there. I could walk it in 30 mins if need be, DD would likely have to abandon her car and walk home, taking 3 hours+ . Her partner works 30 miles away in Manchester so god knows what he’d do, steal a bike if he had any sense and cycle home using the many canal paths. 1. Walk into my village and buy cat litter, bin bags, a garden incinerator, steel buckets, batteries, lighters and whatever else looked useful plus calorie dense food and whatever medical supplies I could find while they would still take cash. 1. Go to the garden centre down the road and buy a gas bbq/ gas and lots of solar lights, along with one of those camping trollies with cash before everyone realised what was coming. 1. Go to the caravan/camping sales place by the garden centre and buy a camping shower, lots of gas bottles and look to see which caravan would be easiest to steal if it came to having to leave/hide, one that could be wheeled out by cutting the chain link fence and taken to a well hidden place. Thankfully DH has a tow bar on his van. 1. Make sure we could black out all the windows at night to stop light escaping. 1. Get DH to make large wooden barriers with decking joists to prevent the front and back doors being battered in. His power tool batteries are always fully charged. 1. Park his van across the big front window and my car so it blocked access to the garage. 1. Scope out a local vending supplies warehouse, unless you knew what and where it was, people wouldn’t even think about it, they’d be too busy robbing cash converters.

177 replies

BorgQueen · 01/10/2026 17:19

Before ANYTHING else : Fill 3 x 120l lidded storage boxes with water. Plus every bottle, pan and vase.
Go and collect my Grandson from school if he was there. I could walk it in 30 mins if need be, DD would likely have to abandon her car and walk home, taking 3 hours+ . Her partner works 30 miles away in Manchester so god knows what he’d do, steal a bike if he had any sense and cycle home using the many canal paths.
Walk into my village and buy cat litter, bin bags, a garden incinerator, steel buckets, batteries, lighters and whatever else looked useful plus calorie dense food and whatever medical supplies I could find while they would still take cash.
Go to the garden centre down the road and buy a gas bbq/ gas and lots of solar lights, along with one of those camping trollies with cash before everyone realised what was coming.
Go to the caravan/camping sales place by the garden centre and buy a camping shower, lots of gas bottles and look to see which caravan would be easiest to steal if it came to having to leave/hide, one that could be wheeled out by cutting the chain link fence and taken to a well hidden place. Thankfully DH has a tow bar on his van.
Make sure we could black out all the windows at night to stop light escaping.
Get DH to make large wooden barriers with decking joists to prevent the front and back doors being battered in. His power tool batteries are always fully charged.
Park his van across the big front window and my car so it blocked access to the garage.
Scope out a local vending supplies warehouse, unless you knew what and where it was, people wouldn’t even think about it, they’d be too busy robbing cash converters.

OP posts:

cartagenagina · 01/10/2026 17:24

Why would your DD and her DP not be able to get home using normal methods if there was a power cut? Why would DD have to abandon her car?

I have driven during power cuts. People are generally very sensible, even when traffic lights are out.

lepara · 01/10/2026 17:24

Use the torch on my phone.
Find the power banks
Order some grog from the nearest off license that delivers
Turn on battery operated lights
Find fleece blanket
Sit on sofa
Get mildly pissed.

Seriously though, I would wait to hear if the power cut is for hours or days and work around it accordingly. I have a wind up torch/radio, plenty of water in bottles in the shed, and tinned food +crackers that will ensure I don't starve.

I've been through a few of these already. As long as I can see my way around the house, I'll cope.

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