Preparing for emergencies

Put together an emergency kit of items at home. This could include: 

• Battery or wind-up torch – torches are safer than candles, or consider battery operated candles
• Paper copy of key telephone numbers and insurance telephone and reference 
• Keys: house and vehicle
• Essential medication, sanitary or toiletry supplies
• Cash and credit/debit cards
• Spare clothes, blankets, and comfortable shoes
• Bottled water and food preferably tinned or ready to eat as you may be without electricity (and don't forget your tin opener)
• Portable power bank for charging your mobile phone and other devices
• Spare Batteries for torches and radio and a backup battery for any medical equipment you rely on
• Wind-up radio to get updates during a power cut – a car radio can be used, however in severe weather it might be safer to stay inside
• First-aid kit including items that you would normally use and include items such as waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings and gloves, medical tape for dressings, and tweezers
• Hand sanitiser and wet wipes for hygiene purposes when the water is turned off
• Bottled water there is no standard figure for this as emergencies can vary in duration and people use different amounts. A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended by the World Health Organisation for survival. 10 litres per person per day will make you more comfortable by also providing for basic cooking and hygiene needs. Additional water might be needed to make up baby formula, for medical devices and for pets
• Non-perishable food that doesn’t need cooking, such as ready-to-eat tinned meat, fruit, or vegetables (and a tin opener). As with water, how much you need will vary based on your own requirements and circumstances. Don’t forget pet food
• Baby supplies such as nappies and baby formula – ready-made or ‘ready-to-feed’ formula is best as you may not be able to boil water.

Rather than buying all the supplies items at once, you could just add to your emergency kit when you are able and build it up over time.

It is easy to forget vital items in the panic of an evacuation. That is why it is good practice to keep a small grab bag of essential items. You may want to prepare a smaller emergency grab bag to keep in your car, particularly if you are going on a long journey or driving in bad weather conditions.

• a list of important or useful phone numbers
• house and vehicle keys
• spare medication, sanitary or toiletry supplies
• radio, torch
• spare batteries
• first aid kit
• some money
• spare clothes and blankets
• bottled water and food preferably tinned or ready to eat as you may be without electricity (and don't forget your tin opener)
• any other resources specific to your need.

UK Power Networks maintains electricity networks across London. They offer a free service for customers who need it by:

• providing a special priority telephone number that people can call if they have a power cut
• contacting the customer regularly during the power cut by phone or text message to keep them updated of the situation
• sending tailored support if needed such as home visits, hot meals, advice and keeping your friends and relatives updated.

You can register on the Priority Services Register if someone in your household:

• relies on medical equipment
• have refrigerated medicines
• have a serious or chronic illness
• have a disability
• is living with dementia
• are of pensionable age
• have children under five in your household
• have mental health difficulties.

Brent Household Response  is a document which you can download and print and store all your important numbers for use in the event of an emergency.