Power Outage Safety

Are you prepared for an extended power outage?

If a power outage lasts more than a few hours, it’s important to be prepared. Every home should have an emergency kit in hand to help make life easier during extended power outages.

Step 1: Have an outage plan

Share a plan with your family to explain what will happen if there’s no power. Ask yourself questions like: What will we do with the food in the freezer? How will we have showers? How will we cook dinner? Visit getprepared.ca for help in creating a detailed plan.

Step 2: Create your 72-hour emergency kit

When building an emergency kit you should plan for the possibility of an extended period of time of at least 72 hours. Great advice if there’s a prolonged outage. Rest assured that power will be restored but in the meantime you need to keep going. A 72-hour emergency kit should be easy to access and contain all the essentials plus any special needs you may have, such as medical devices.

Included in the kit:

• Flashlights; avoid candles as they can be a fire hazard   
• Hand-cranked or battery-powered radio and clock   
• Extra batteries   
• First aid kit, including prescription medicine  
• Non-perishable and ready-to-eat foods   
• Bottled water: three-day supply (two litres per person per day)   
• Manual can opener   
• Warm clothing and blankets   
• Supplies for those with special needs   
• Supplies for your pet   
• Extra keys for your house and car   
• Cash in small denominations   
• Games, cards and books to entertain everyone   
• A copy of your preparedness plan