Last September 15, an awful power failure hit the whole country due to unpredictable demand. When the heat of late summer came, electricity consumption sharply increased. The Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) was unable to predict the total use of electricity. In order to minimize potential equipment damage to our power grid, KEPCO implemented rolling blackouts without any prior notice. Although these rolling blackouts did not last very long, they did cause a considerable amount of damage. What would happen if a grand-scale blackout hits our country without notice? Some power blackouts have already occurred in Indonesia, Paraguay, America, and Canada. So we should understand that blackouts are going to continue to occur all over the world, including in Korea. In this issue, DKH studied about what might happen if Korea was covered in complete darkness because of a country-wide blackout. We made an imaginary story about our one day under blackout, and we are going to offer some guidelines under it.

Korea was in complete darkness.
The morning’s weather was fair and calm. This morning, it was natural for me to feel something was different from before. Our television was turned off and the newspaper had not yet been delivered. My mother explained to me that there was a power blackout. Without any recognition, I brushed aside the situation that had been explained to me and stumbled toward the bathroom to wash my face. I turned on the faucet, but no water came out. The pumping equipment at the filtration plant had not been activated because of the blackout. Our water supply had been cut off. I could not wash my face. I did not have any choice but to just have breakfast, so I went to the kitchen to have breakfast and sat down at the table to eat. I recognized that our morning meal, especially rice was cold. The electric rice cooker had also stopped working sometime during the night. After breakfast, I left my home, with my face and body unwashed, to go to school. The elevator did not work, so I had to use the stairs. Standing in the lobby of our building, I was not sure I whether or not I should try to get to school, but I decided to try and make the trip. After many twists and turns, I walked to the subway station but I was very disappointed as soon as I saw a public notice posted at the gate stating that the day's subways were not going to run. I thought that nothing was going right for me that day. Behind this complaint, I decided to try to get on the bus, but I soon found out that buses would not run either. I fell into despair. I realized it would be difficult to go to school. All of the traffic signals were out of order, so all of the cars in the street were locked in traffic jams and without moving. There were car accidents everywhere. I saw a police officer in the distance. I asked him if he knew how I may get to school, but he could not help me. I gave up going to school. I decided to use the time to try and meet a friend. I tried my cell phone,  and, amazingly, it worked! My phone was the lone survivor in this horrible blackout! It ran on batteries. Happy, I dialed my friend. Once again, I fell into despair. I could not get any phone signal at all. Under the present conditions I realized there was nothing I could do but just go home. While I was walking home, I remembered that there was not any food at home, so I stopped by the marketplace to buy some groceries. I made my way to the marketplace, but the situation at the marketplace made me stunned. At the sushi restaurant, the live fish stored in tanks floated to the surface of the water gasping for air because the fish tank oxygenator was not operating. At the cafe, the owner of the store closed up his shop because their coffee machine was not working. At the butcher's shop, the butcher said "the meat will be spoiled. I do not have the vaguest idea what to do." This situation was the same for the ice cream store. I entered the convenience store to buy some food. The store was dark as night. I chose what I wanted to eat using my phone's light. I knew I was short of cash today. So, I intended to use my credit card, but the card reader was also out of order. I thought the store may have an ATM machine, and then I ran to the machine, but it was not in operation either. So I put some food back and then bought a few things with the little cash I had. The cashier could not give me a receipt. I did not fancy the idea of going home without the elevator working. I climbed the long climb to the floor we live on. I was really at a loss for words. I was very tired and thirsty from walking so much in the summer heat. I ran to our water purifier, but that was not in operation, either. I took a sip of the lukewarm orange juice that was in our refrigerator, which had stopped operating. I was frustrated when I recongnized that I could not do anything without electricity. I just stayed in my bed until our power finally came back on.

At the end of that day, not only were we without electricity, but our city was then plunged into total darkness. We were all trapped, unable to really do anything until the power returned. Blackouts that last for many hours or even days at a time are dangerous and even life-threatening. This experience with rolling blackouts showed us not only the many dangers of complete darkness and the loss of all living services, it also showed us how much we really need a reliable power source and extended lighting. We would appreciate KEPCO seriously researching and identifying the causes of these power outages and then taking whatever action is necessary to prevent a recurrence of such dangerous events in the future. All of us should take steps to prepare for any potential blackouts that will likely occur in the future. Let's learn about some ways that we can protect ourselves from a total blackout. First, prepare emergency lighting by stocking candles and battery powered flashlights where we can easily reach and use them in an emergency! Second, store an adequate emergency supply of drinking water! Nothing is more important to a survival situation then fresh drinking water. Third, in the event there is a blackout, disconnect all electrical plugs from the electrical outlets in your home or office! When the power is restored, the surge of energy to the outlets in your home can cause a potential fire until the power is stabilized. Fourth, have a battery powered radio near at hand. The radio will keep you updated about the status of the power outage, and it will also provide you with help information including government safety instructions and orders you may need to follow during the emergency. Remain cool and calm. Fifth, when the traffic lights are turned off, drivers have to drive slowly. We need to prevent safety-related accidents; better safe than sorry. Be well-informed. Read up on survival techniques and safety measures you need to take during a civil crisis like this. Listen carefully to civil instructions and take all recommended precautions.