Blackouts or Poweroutages

Top Safety Tips for a Blackout

* Only use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles!
* Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out.
* Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.
* Do not run a generator inside a home or garage.
* If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system.
* Listen to local radio and television for updated information.

How Can I Prepare Before a Blackout Happens?

Assemble essential supplies, including:

* Flashlight
* Batteries
* Portable radio
* at least one gallon of water
* a small supply of food.
* Due to the extreme risk of fire, do not use candles during a power outage.

If you have space in your refrigerator or freezer, consider filling plastic containers with water, leaving about an inch of space inside each one. (Remember, water expands as it freezes, so it is important to leave room in the container for the expanded water). Place the containers in the refrigerator and freezer. This chilled or frozen water will help keep food cold if the power goes out, by displacing air that can warm up quickly with water or ice that keeps cold for several hours without additional refrigeration.

If you use medication that requires refrigeration, most can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem. If unsure, check with your physician or pharmacist.

If you use a computer, keep files and operating systems backed up regularly. Consider buying extra batteries and a power converter if you use a laptop computer. A power converter allows most laptops (12 volts or less) to be operated from the cigarette lighter of a vehicle. Also, turn off all computers, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners and other devices when they're not being used. That way, if the power goes out, this equipment will have already been safely shut down. Get a high quality surge protector for all of your computer equipment. If you use the computer a lot, such as for a home business, consider purchasing and installing an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). Consult with your local computer equipment dealer about available equipment and costs.

If you have a telephone instrument or system at home or at work that requires electricity to work (such as a cordless phone or answering machine), plan for alternate communication, including having a standard telephone handset, cellular telephone, radio, or pager. Remember, too, that some voice mail systems and remote dial-up servers for computer networks may not operate when the power is out where these systems are located. So even if you have power, your access to remote technology may be interrupted if the power that serves those areas is disrupted. Check with remote service providers to see if they have backup power systems, and how long those systems will operate.

Keep your car fuel tank at least half full because gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.

Follow energy conservation measures to keep the use of electricity as low as possible, which can help the power company avoid imposing rolling blackouts.

Specific Information for People With Disabilities

If you use a battery-operated wheelchair, life-support system, or other power-dependent equipment, call your power company before rolling blackouts happen. Many utility companies keep a list and map of the locations of power-dependent customers in case of an emergency. Ask them what alternatives are available in your area. Contact the customer service department of your local utility company(ies) to learn if this service is available in your community.

If you use a motorized wheelchair or scooter, have an extra battery. A car battery also can be used with a wheelchair but will not last as long as a wheelchair's deep-cycle battery. If available, store a lightweight manual wheelchair for backup.

If you are Blind or have a visual disability, store a talking or Braille clock or large-print timepiece with extra batteries.

If you are Deaf or have a hearing loss, consider getting a small portable battery-operated television set. Emergency broadcasts may give information in American Sign Language (ASL) or open captioning.

Using a Generator
If you are considering obtaining a generator, get advice from a licensed professional, such as an electrician. Make sure the generator is listed with Underwriter's Laboratories or a similar organization. Some municipalities, Air Quality Districts, or states have "air quality permit" requirements. A licensed electrician will be able to give you more information on these matters. Always plan to keep the generator outdoors -- never operate it inside, including the basement or garage. Do not hook up a generator directly to your home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Connecting a cord from the generator to a point on the permanent wiring system and backfeeding power to your home is an unsafe method to supply a building during a power outage.

For more information about using generators safely, see the Generator fact sheet.

What Do I Do During A Blackout?

Turn off or disconnect any appliances, equipment (like air conditioners) or electronics you were using when the power went out. When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary "surges" or "spikes" that can damage equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner, refrigerator, washer, or furnace.

Leave one light turned on so you'll know when your power returns.

Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep your food as fresh as possible. If you must eat food that was refrigerated or frozen, check it carefully for signs of spoilage. See the Red Cross brochure called, "Help The Power Is Out" for more information.

Use the phone for emergencies only. Listening to a portable radio can provide the latest information. Do not call 9-1-1 for information -- only call to report a life-threatening emergency.

Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic signals will stop working during an outage, creating traffic congestion.

Remember that equipment such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and elevators may not work during a power outage.

If it is hot outside, take steps to remain cool. Move to the lowest level of your home, as cool air falls. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty. If the heat is intense and the power may be off for a long time, consider going to a movie theater, shopping mall, or "cooling shelter" that may be opened in your community. Listen to local radio or television for more information. Get more tips on the preparing for a heat wave.

Remember to provide plenty of fresh, cool water for your pets.

If it is cold outside, put on layers of warm clothing. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors. Never use your oven as a source of heat. If the power may be out for a prolonged period, plan to go to another location (relative, friend, or public facility) that has heat to keep warm.

Energy Conservation Recommendations

To conserve power to help avoid a blackout, the power industry recommends:
* In heating season, set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. In cooling season, set the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher. Consider installing a programmable thermostat that you can set to have the furnace or air conditioning run only when you are at home. Most power is used by heating and cooling, so adjusting the temperatures on your thermostat is the biggest energy conservation measure you can take.
* Turn off lights and computers when not in use. This is especially true about computer monitors - avoid using a "screen saver" and just simply turn the monitor off when you won't be using the computer for a while. Turn the computer off completely each evening. It is no longer true that computer equipment is damaged from turning it off and on.
* Close windows when the heating or cooling system is on.
* Caulk windows and doors to keep air from leaking, and replace old windows with new, energy-efficient windows.
* Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters regularly.
* When buying new appliances be sure to purchase energy-efficient models.
* Wrap the water heater with an insulation jacket, available at most building supplies retailers.
* If you have to wash clothes, wash only full loads and clean the dryer's lint trap after each use.
* When using a dishwasher, wash full loads and use the "light" cycle. If possible, use the "rinse only" cycle and turn off the "high temperature" rinse option. When the regular wash cycle is done, just open the dishwasher door to allow the dishes to air dry.
* Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights.
* Use one large light bulb rather than several smaller ones.

Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis

Melanesia, Guam, and the Mariana Islands are part of the “Pacific Rim of Fire”, a region of severe seismic activity. The impact of these disasters can be highly localised, but severe. For example, on the 17th of July, 1998, a series of tidal waves caused by an offshore earthquake struck the North west of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province.  The waves swept over low, sandy islets at Sissano about 30 kilometres west of Aitape. Whole villages vanished and thousands of people were killed or injured.

The sub-region’s tropical and sub-tropical climate is punctuated by climatic extremes; cyclones, floods and drought. These extremes have far reaching impacts on land-use, and serious environmental consequences – especially when combined with unsustainable development practices.

Cyclones are the most prominent and wide spread natural disaster in the Pacific. With the exception of equatorial islands, between 5 degrees North and South of the equator, all Pacific islands have been subjected to cyclones.

Data for the last 150 years indicate cyclones are more frequent in the western and central Pacific, both north and south of the equator than in the eastern Pacific. The Fiji group experienced 136 cyclones between 1880 and 1997. A similar number were recorded in Vanuatu. Damage to crops, vegetation, structures and wildlife (especially birds) increases exponentially with wind speed (damage of 180km/hr wind is 4 times that of 90km/hr wind). Severe tropical storms are accompanied by massive rainfall and the low pressure may cause the sea to rise as much as 2 metres. Flooding, coastal inundation, and land erosion, destruction of housing and gardens, loss of vegetation, pollution of water supplies and destruction of coral reefs and sea grass beds are natural impacts of tropical cyclones.

Hurricanes are especially damaging to low-lying atoll islets. Waves from Hurricane Ofa, for example, swept over the islands of the Tokelau atolls, washed away topsoil, salted the land so crops would not grow, and contaminated the ground water making it unfit to drink. Between January and April of 1983, five cyclones struck French Polynesia; more in two months than in the previous 150 years. All the low islands of the Tuamotus and Societies were damaged. Sea level rose 4 to 5 meters and waves were 8 to 10 meters high. Many villages on the atolls were totally submerged.  Some atoll villages completely disappeared. The water lens was salted, all boats were destroyed, all fishing equipment and pearl aquaculture rafts were destroyed. Big blocks of coral were torn from the reefs and thrown onto the reef flats. Vegetation was severely damaged and 50% of the coconut trees were blown down (Gabrie et al 1995).
Vulnerability to Disasters

The small size of the islands, their remoteness and limited financial resources plus poor economic and social decisions resulted in increased ecosystem and human vulnerability to disasters.

The peoples inhabiting the Pacific islands for the past three to four thousand years have shown remarkable resilience to natural and environmental disasters, but the steady degrading of traditional coping measures makes islanders and the island ecosystems more vulnerable to disasters. Hurricanes, for example, have always been a normal part of the environment of Pacific people and traditional societies coped with them very well. In the past, islanders whose gardens were harmed by hurricanes had traditional food reserves, forest gardens that still provided food, and abundant protein from the coral reefs. The same people today find their gardens are destroyed, the reefs are destroyed, their homes are destroyed, and their drinking water polluted.

Coral reefs and coastal ecosystems were also resilient to hurricanes and recovered quickly. But poor farming and logging practices resulted in massive erosion during storm conditions and this, in turn, polluted water supplies and deposited massive loads of silt on the coral reefs. In addition, small gardens that once were protected by trees are now large unprotected gardens that are totally destroyed by hurricanes. Soil lost from commercial farms and pasture land during severe storms makes the gardens themselves less resilient and less productive. In Pohnpei FSM, for example, large scale clearing of upland forest for commercial kava plantations resulted in massive landslides after a severe cyclone in 1997. The landslides caused loss of life, the plantations, and damaged coastal coral reef communities.

Over-harvesting of coastal fish and invertebrates removed important sources of suitable nutrients from coral reefs and sewage from urban areas destabilised near-shore coral communities making these vital ecosystems less able to withstand or recover from the waves and rain of hurricanes. Hurricanes, thus, have moved from annual events to disaster status because of unsustainable human behaviour.

The most vulnerable communities are impoverished peoples occupying marginal environments (such as low-lying filled mangrove swamps, urban areas of atoll islets, or steep-sloped mountain areas), with high population density and dependence on a single source of sustenance. For example, the 1998 drought in the Marshall Islands required the installation of large desalination plants to meet the drinking water needs of the densely packed urban populace on Majoro and Ebeye. The same drought required massive importation of food and supplies to the highlands of PNG where overpopulation and reliance on coffee and other commercial crops lowered the resilience of the communities. Fortunately, such communities are still uncommon in the Pacific islands compared to other parts of the Asia Pacific Region.

Action for mitigating natural disasters in the Pacific Islands

Hurricanes, floods, droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions do considerable damage to sustainable development plans. The economic costs can bankrupt an island community. While nobody can avert natural disasters, the impacts can be greatly minimised by (i) accurate and timely predicting when and where disasters will strike; (ii) rapid emergency response to victims; and (iii) land use planning to reduce vulnerability.

Advances in the first two areas have been spectacular in the Pacific sub-Region. Prior to the 1940’s disasters struck with no warning. Weather forecasters could only predict the occurrence and path of hurricanes, for example, if there happened to be ships at sea to report them, or the regional network of weather forecasters that communicated by radio were able to report on hurricanes passing close to them. Following World War II improvements in communications, increased shipping and air traffic, increased the ability to provide early storm warnings. Radar, developed during the war, gave weather centres the ability to accurately track storms within a hundred miles of some weather stations.

Weather satellites completely changed weather forecasting. Meteorologists now have real-time views of weather systems anywhere on the planet. All island weather stations now have access to accurate weather charts and weather warnings. Telephones and broadcast radio enables national meteorologists to communicate storm warnings to everyone well in advance of a major storm. All Pacific island nations now follow a common code of hurricane alerts, and provide radio instructions to the public on preparedness procedures. Within the last five years, as computer models of the atmosphere improved, meteorologists have become increasingly accurate in predicting hurricane formation and tracks, often delivering explicit information on storm track, wind velocities, expected sea level rise and wave heights for three days in advance.

SPREP hosts the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) sub-regional Office. SPREP and WMO the have collaborated in providing eight Pacific island countries with equipment to receive low-orbit weather satellite images. SPREP has also provided real-time computer displays to national meteorological services that show readings from weather monitoring stations. SPREP also organises the Regional Meteorological Service Director’s Meetings to review the status of SPREP’s regional meteorological and climate programmes and discuss new projects.

Better prediction of storms reduces loss of life and damage to property and enables governments to mobilise emergency response teams.