Organising neighbourhood help in a power outage

In a widespread outage, many people need help at the same time, and phone and internet may not work. Official bodies then have to concentrate on the most urgent cases. The neighbourhood fills the gap in between: short visits, a notice in the stairwell and mutual support replace the telephone.

Neighbourhood help complements official structures but does not replace them. It is voluntary, respects privacy and does not take on dangerous tasks. Its great advantage is closeness: anyone living in the same building quickly notices when someone no longer appears or needs help.

The most important step happens long before the outage: getting to know each other. A chat in the hallway, a courtyard party or a notice is enough to find out who would like to take part during outages. Contact details go on a paper list only with consent. Voluntarily and confidentially, you clarify who lives alone, needs care, has small children or animals – and who can contribute something, such as a radio, first-aid skills, a stove for the garden or a cargo bike.

During the outage, fixed routines help. A notice in the entrance with date and time states current radio announcements, the location of the municipality's emergency contact point and who in the building offers help. At fixed times someone rings or knocks on the doors of people who need support and asks about warmth, water, medication and mood.

A simple form is a buddy system: each person needing help has a fixed contact and a deputy in the building. That is easier to organise than a large group and still works when someone is unavailable themselves.

Your own safety comes first. Do not go into flooded cellars, keep away from fallen lines and avoid walking alone through unlit areas at night. Working on power lines or rescuing people from rubble are tasks for professionals.

Watch out for carbon monoxide. If you see neighbours using grills, gas heaters or generators indoors, clearly point out the danger. If several people complain of headache, dizziness or nausea: everyone into fresh air and call the emergency number.

In a life-threatening situation – unconsciousness, breathing difficulty, fire, suspected carbon monoxide – call the emergency number (112 in the EU) immediately. If it cannot be reached, one person goes to the municipality's emergency contact point, reports the emergency and brings back information.

Sharing instead of hoarding saves resources: one radio in the hallway that everyone can hear, cooking together outdoors, shared charging opportunities or pooled shopping. That way not every household has to have everything itself, and nobody is left alone.

During heat or cold waves, older and sick people are particularly at risk, often without asking for help themselves. A visit on the first day – not only after several days – is especially valuable then. Pass on anything you notice to relatives or authorities.

Rumours spread quickly in a crisis. Only post information from reliable sources, such as the radio or the municipality, and add when it was last updated.

The BBK stresses that neighbourhood help plays an important role in emergencies and recommends looking after people in need around you. Ready.gov likewise advises checking on neighbours during outages, especially older people.

Many municipalities plan contact points for long power outages where you can make emergency calls and get information. What they are called and where they are differs from place to place – ask your municipality early. And as a side effect, good neighbourly relations strengthen everyday life too.