Following training delivered by Cornwall Council’s Emergency Planning  Department, we are sharing information with residents to help prepare in the event of any future power or telephone outages.

In the event of longer term, wide-ranging area outages, the Cornwall Council Emergency Planning Department have plans in place working closely with other agencies such as the NHS, social services and utility companies etc to identify those residents who require extra support.

How can you prepare?

Preparing for power outages

See the attached flyer which gives information about how vulnerable residents can register as a ‘priority user’ with their utility provider. Registering can ensure that you are identified, and additional help and support can be provided if required. Vulnerable users could be those who are elderly, very ill or those who rely on power for medical equipment.

Preparing for telephone outages

With the industry-led shift to move from analogue to digital landlines, landline providers are supporting their customers in making the switch.  Indeed, you may have already switched to a digital landline.

Your landline provider will get in touch with you when it’s coming to the time for you to switch. They might call the new service Digital Voice, IP voice or a branded version such as ‘Sky Voice’.  You should never be charged simply to move to a digital landline. Be aware that scammers have attempted to exploit the move to a digital landline as an opportunity to extract money from people or convince them they need to share personal information in order for their burglar alarm or healthcare device to continue working.

It is also advised to make sure you have an alternative method of making a call if there is a power outage such as using a mobile phone. Some landline providers also have hybrid household phone handsets that can automatically switch between connecting to your router and the mobile network.

See our flyer attached for further information here or see information provided by Which? Here Digital Voice and the landline switch-off: what it means for you – Which?