Getting Prepared for Winter – Part 6: Power and Water Outages:

Breaks in supply of water and power are more likely in winter and these issues can cause serious problems for older people.

Calderdale is no stranger to power and water cuts, with flooding, high winds and storms all likley in most winters.

Begin by stocking up on a few essential items that can make you more resilient at home. For example, a supply of bottled water and non-perishable foods. Keep a couple of torches in an easy to reach place or places (bedside cabinets for example).

Many people are reliant on power and water for medical reasons. If this applies to you, you should sign up to the Priority Services Register of your power and water companies. This system allows the utility company to recognise your needs. All utility companies have resources in place to support vulnerable people during an “outage”.

This might take the form or providing bottled water or heating and power generation equipment or even helping you to move to a safer location.

Until recently you had to register individually with each service provider, but now there is a nation-wide Priority Services Register (PSR) website. This single access point is www.thepsr.co.uk from where you will be directed to the right priority service register.

Being on the priority Service Register of your local supplier also means that you should receive prior notification of work in your area that might effect your supply, plus support if this is the case.