The short answer is Yes, absolutely! Load shedding has become part of daily life here in South Africa, and by all accounts, it looks like it could continue until well into April and perhaps even beyond.
Though most people regard load shedding as an inconvenience to be endured the truth is that it poses a range of health risks and dangers, especially to children and the elderly.
Many other articles will describe the lack of preparedness of hospitals and clinics, and how their inability to cope with load shedding might affect patients, theatres, pharmaceutical stock, and critical support units.
But the situation may be just as serious at home or in an office environment.
Here are some tips and suggestions to make sure you are safe during load shedding:
- Keep a well-stocked, suitable first aid kit in an accessible place. But ensure that it is out of reach of small children in a home environment.
- Home medical equipment such as nebulisers, respirators, dialysis machines, etc. that require electricity should be provided for with alternative energy sources to keep them running or charged. If this is not possible, then arrangements for treatment should be made with the nearest suitable medical facility.
- Power spikes and electrical arcs may sometimes occur when the power is restored. That is why all electronics and appliances should be switched off to prevent electrical burns, lacerations, or trauma to humans as well as damage to the equipment.
- Dark areas in a house or building poses a serious risk for falling injuries and contusions from walking into objects. Such dark areas should have fully functional flashlights conveniently located and easily accessible. Installing an Emergency Lamp – which charges when powered and switches to battery immediately once the power drops – in such areas is also a good long-term idea.
- If you suffer from claustrophobia, high blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety, or depression you should avoid using lifts in offices and malls during active load shedding schedules and instead opt for stairs or escalators.
- Because we rely on electricity for heating and cooling, losing these features must be planned for as well, especially if you have elderly or young people to consider.
- For cooling: using rechargeable battery powered fans, ensuring adequate room ventilation by opening windows, mounting a garden hose sprinkler on the roof, or lying in a cool bath are all good ideas to consider.
- For heating: use extra blankets and duvets, close all windows and doors, and use a safe wood fireplace or a good quality gas heater.
- Speaking of gas appliances. Always invest in reliable, top-quality brands, and exercise caution when using the appliance. Check for leaks on a regular basis in order to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Avoid fire hazards by only using safe, appropriate fireplaces or barbeque areas. Beware of the choking hazard that smoke from wood fires present and make sure that there is adequate ventilation and directed airflow.
- Co-ordinate and plan out action strategies to use when the power goes out. The calmer and more oriented everyone is, the less chance there will be of someone sustaining an injury.
- Lastly, check the condition of food items in your fridge. You don’t want to suffer a stomach bug from food that has spoiled because of load shedding. It may cause dehydration and put you in an even worse situation than you were in before.
This graph from PLOS gives you an idea of the things that we lose when load shedding occurs:
Omnisurge stocks a wide variety of first aid kits, survival kits, and many other items that could become essential in a load shedding emergency. Click here to visit our First Aid products page to see a list of available items.
