On Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:06:23 +0000, Frank Erskine
wrote:

Power cuts can and do happen without cables being nicked. If that power is
essential, backup should be provided.

Hospitals always (?) have standby alternators, but what about, for
example, renal dialysis machines used in private homes? Or all these
type of things battery powered nowadays? Indeed, are such things used
at all now? :-)

Do you seriously believe that any sensible person would arrange things
so that their very life depended on the mains power not failing over a
protracted time? If so, perhaps they are more eligible for the
"Darwin award" than the people in question.

All electrically operated life-support machines invariably have an
alternate power source that will switch in automatically in the event
of a mains failure. Perhaps it will be a battery that will only last
an hour or so - in which case there ought to be a small generator or
some other contingency plan available for use in the event that the
mains is not restored in time. Quite a number of non-deliberate
events can cause power failures that last for several days - or in
extreme cases several weeks.

--
Cynic