If the power goes out on one of the coldest days of the year, we will want to be prepared.

National grid operator Transpower advised power companies of a “grid emergency” shortly before 8am on Thursday, warning that if they did not restrict supply, it might need to “manage demand” by disconnecting power supplies “without further notice”.

While the imminent danger has passed, it’s worth considering how your home would manage in the event power was cut, as it was for 34,000 homes in Auckland last August 9.

Transpower warned in May that there was a heightened risk of power cuts on 37 days between June and August, singling out July 26 as a day for another potential grid emergency, but said then that it expected the risks to decrease as the dates got nearer and power companies responded to its warnings.

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We need to have other provisions in place: As well as planning for lighting and cooking needs, a big one is how to stay warm.

Those with wood burners or piped gas heating will be feeling relaxed about the prospect, but those of us who rely on heat pumps and other electrical heating need to move to plan B.

The best course of action could be to make plans to stay with friends or family who have power, or who have other non-electrical heating, in an emergency.

If that’s not an option, here are a few tips to help you stay as comfortable as possible at home during a power outage.

They are used to outages in the US where winter storms cause cuts regularly. US-based Consumer Reports recommends several approaches, including putting on extra layers of clothing, staying in a sun-facing room (north-facing for us in the Southern Hemisphere), and if it gets really bad, camping out indoors – setting up a tent in your warmest room with warm bedding and clothes.

It sounds cosy, but it could get old quickly. Luckily, New Zealand’s power supply is quite resilient and cuts tend to last hours rather than days.

In the US, people using their cars to stay warm, or to charge their phones or other electronic devices, are recommended to do so away from the house so that dangerous fumes don’t enter the home.

In New Zealand, we are regularly warned not to use unflued gas heaters for similar reasons – they are not generally considered safe to use in a confined space. Many people do use them, however. There are about 96,570 unflued gas heaters being used in homes across Aotearoa. Users should ensure adequate ventilation: Guidelines are provided with the heaters.

They should also check connections on LPG heaters for leaks, ensuring heaters were used in well ventilated areas and having heaters serviced regularly.

Petrol-powered generators could also be used to run electrical heaters, although they should not be used indoors.

What are your plans for staying warm should the power be cut? Let us know in the comments below.