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A power outage can occur at any time of the year. Power lines can be damaged and electricity distribution disrupted by severe storms, high winds, accidents, and sudden overloads of the electricity grid during periods of extreme heat or cold. Most power failures are short lived, however if a large area is affected, some people may find themselves without power for hours, days, or even a week or more.
For many households the loss of electricity means that crucial utilities and appliances will not be running. A power outage will leave you without heating/air conditioning, lighting, hot water, and perhaps even running water. Refrigerators, freezers, electric stoves, cordless phones, computers, televisions, and radios which rely on electricity will not work. This will interfere with your ability to safely store and cook food. Some people rely on electricity to power critical medical equipment in their homes. It also makes it harder to stay informed during a blackout. |
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Be Prepared before a Power Outage
- Include a flashlight, spare batteries, blankets, and warm clothing in your emergency preparedness kit.
- Add a portable radio to your kit. Crank-powered radios that do not require batteries are now widely available.
- Regularly backup critical electronic files.
- Ensure there is at least one analog telephone in your home. Cordless and digital phones rely on electricity to operate whereas analog telephones will continue to work in a power outage.
- Keep the fuel tank in your car at least half full. Gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
- Consider installing a non-electric stove or heater. Be sure to adequately vent the stove or heater with the correct type of chimney flue. If you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace, ensure that you have enough wood on hand to keep it burning for 3-4 days.
- Another option is to install a home generator. Check with manufacturers and dealers for costs, power requirements, and operating procedures.
- If someone in the home relies on electrically powered life-sustaining equipment, register with your electric supply authority and your community emergency services.
What to do During a Power Failure
- Turn home thermostats down to a minimum because power can be restored more easily when there isn't a heavy demand on the system.
- Do not use charcoal or gas barbecues, camping heating equipment, or home generators indoors. They emit dangerous carbon monoxide which cannot be detected by smell or sight. Carbon monoxide poisoning can result in death.
- Never leave candles or oil lamps unattended.
- Turn off all appliances and electronic equipment to prevent damage when power is restored.
Food Safety
Food supplies in refrigerators and freezers should be monitored for signs of spoilage. If a freezer door is kept closed, food should stay frozen for 48 hours (full freezer) and for 24 hours (half-full freezer) depending on room temperature. Food in a refrigerator will only keep safely for 4 to 6 hours. Try to minimize the temperature loss by reducing the number of times that the door is opened.
When food begins to defrost, it should be cooked immediately; otherwise it should be discarded. As a general precaution, keep a bag of ice cubes in the freezer. If you return home after a period of absence to find that the ice has melted and refrozen, there is a good chance that there has been a power outage and the food is spoiled.
Click here for more information about Emergency Food Safety.
Drinking Water Safety
During a power outage, municipal water treatment plants may not be affected due to the availability of backup power. Listen to your local emergency officials for further direction and information relating to Municipal Water Treatment Systems and the safety of your drinking water. You may be asked by municipal officials to conserve water due to a decreased supply during and after a power outage.
The safety of your water should be confirmed before consumption or use.
Safe drinking water should be used for the following:
- making ice, juice, coffee, tea, and formula for infants
- washing fruits and vegetables, and for cooking
- washing hands, brushing teeth, and bathing
- dishwashing - for extra safety, pour a capful of bleach into a sink full of clear water for rinsing dishes.
Clean water is especially important for use by young children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
If an alternate source of water is needed, you can temporarily make your water safe to drink by adding 5 to 8 drops of bleach to a gallon of water (1.25ml to 4.5 litres), then stir and let stand for 15 minutes before use.
Ensure that your home emergency kit includes at least 4 litres of water per day for each family member to use for drinking and hygiene. You should have enough water stored to last for a minimum of 3 days. You can also use bottled water or get water from a known supply like another municipal system or neighbour whose water has tested safe recently.
If you have a private treatment system for your drinking water make sure your system is running properly once the power is restored. Before drinking the water, flush all lines by letting the water run for two minutes. The safety of your water should be confirmed before use. Detailed information about managing food and water during the power outage can be found in the health unit’s website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.
Major Power Outages in Ontario
The Northeastern Blackout of 2003 affected approximately 10 million people in Ontario. Although most people had their electricity restored within 48 hours, there were some areas without power up to 5 days after the start of the blackout.
Ontario also had to significantly reduce its power use in the week following the blackout as there was very little excess capacity in the power grid. Ontario residents and businesses were asked by the premier to try to reduce their power use by 50% and many employees were asked to stay home unless they worked in essential areas. Overall, the blackout is estimated to have cost the Ontario economy between $1 billion and $2 billion.
The 1998 Ice Storm hammered areas of eastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the Maritimes. Freezing rain and drizzle fell steadily over a period of 80 hours coating everything in a thick layer of ice. The weight of the ice proved too much for many trees, electrical towers, power lines, and buildings to bear. The ice bent and snapped millions of trees and brought down approximately 120,000 kilometres of power lines and telephone cables. Roughly 130 transmission towers and 30,000 wooden utility poles toppled or collapsed due to the storm. In some areas roofs, barns, and bridges were severely damaged.
Roughly 600,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. About 100,000 took refuge in temporary shelters while the remaining people relied on friends and family to shelter them from the cold. Twenty-eight people died as a direct result of the storm, mostly from hypothermia. Others died from carbon monoxide poisoning as they used camp stoves or barbeques indoors to cook or stay warm.
Due to the widespread damage to the province's electrical transmission infrastructure, many areas were still without power one week after the storm. A number of areas were still without power three weeks later and full power was finally restored to everyone 33 days after the storm. The storm is estimated to have cost the economy between $1.6 billion and $2 billion.
About Power Advisories, Warnings, and Emergencies
The Ontario Ministry of Energy and The Independent Electricity System Operator have established an electricity emergency plan that is to be used in the event of large-scale power disruptions.
The plan includes a three-level warning system that is used to alert the public about power emergencies.
Power Advisory: This warning is issued when electricity is in tight supply and all consumers are asked to voluntarily reduce their electrical consumption.
Power Warning: This warning is issued when power usage levels become of electrical supplies become concerning and all consumers are asked to immediately reduce their consumption - further increase in electrical demand may result in the need to implement load shedding.
Power Emergency: This warning is issued as a last resort when load shedding must be implemented.
