Australia Weather News

Aside from greater incentive to play board games and cards by candlelight, blackouts are not much fun, particularly in the tech-heavy modern world.

From keeping your phone running as long as possible to making sure the milk in the fridge doesn't go off, what measures should we take to stay safe when the power goes out?

The State Emergency Service said it was important to be well prepared.

"Maintain a home emergency kit, including a battery-powered radio, torch, fresh water and important contacts you will need," it said.

"Maintaining access to a phone — either a charged mobile or a landline that doesn't require power — as well as enough non-perishable food to last three days is also recommended."

It is often best to switch off any electrical appliances and electronic equipment as a precaution.

Make sure you are familiar with the manual override on things like garage doors and electronic gates to avoid getting locked in or out.

'If in doubt, throw it out'

Lydia Buchtmann from the Food Safety Information Council says you need to keep the fridge closed, otherwise the contents will go off more quickly.

"Make a note of what time the power went out, because then you know how long your food will last," she said.

"Your food will be safe in the fridge for about two hours, and once you get to four hours it's probably time to throw it out.

"Hard cheeses, margarine and butter, sauces and things like olives in a jar will be fine at room temperature for a bit longer.

"And your beer will be fine."

Ms Buchtmann said packing an esky with ice bricks would help keep danger items like cooked and uncooked meats safer for longer.

Or you can put them in the freezer.

"Not refreezing meat is a bit of a myth — it's more about food quality not safety. It's fine to refreeze," she said.

"Food in a fully stocked freezer will last up to 48 hours, while a half-full one will last 24 hours."

Ms Buchtmann said the key thing to remember was "if in doubt, throw it out".

Save your phone: Turn down brightness, turn off apps

But how do you keep your phone from running low, or worse, running out of battery altogether?

Tech expert Richard Pascoe recommended turning off any apps, notifications or settings you don't need.

"Turn off wi-fi, otherwise your phone is always looking for that wi-fi signal; turn off bluetooth and turn down your screen brightness," he said.

"Screen brightness really sucks the life out of your battery, so the more you turn it down the longer your battery is going to last.

"You also need to turn off mail checking; you don't need to check your email while [a blackout] is going on.

"You can manually do it, but a lot of phones automatically check it and some do it every 10 minutes."

Mr Pascoe said buying an adaptor to charge your phone through your car or a battery pack that charges it remotely are other ways to keep your devices going.