What to do if the power goes out for hours or even days? The municipal daycare centers in Schwerin want to be prepared and rehearse emergencies in all facilities.

Schwerin (dpa/mv) – The kitchen worker lubricates the breakfast sandwiches in the light of a headlamp, battery-operated LEDs illuminate the daycare entrance in the early morning, and a flashlight is ready in the toilet: More than 2,000 daycare children in Schwerin rehearse the emergency all day on Wednesday of a power blackout.

“Electricity-free throughout the day” is the motto in all facilities of the municipal day-care center company. Children and teachers have prepared for this. In the “Waldgeister” daycare center, for example, where Mayor Rico Badenschier (SPD) wants to stop by in the morning (8:00 a.m.), they have built light boxes with battery lights in them. The caterer delivers cold dishes and the older ones want to have a barbecue with the caretaker at lunchtime. The parents welcomed the project, it said.

Apart from the heating and the refrigerator in the kitchen, nothing should run that requires electricity from the public grid. The telephone should only be used in extreme emergencies. According to the daycare management, the aim of the campaign is to learn how to cope with a blackout and to be mentally prepared.