What a power outage takes away
Losing the lights is the smallest part of it. A gas furnace needs electricity for its blower and controls, so the heat usually stops too. So do the sump pump, the well pump, the fridge, the internet router and every phone charger in the house. In an apartment tower, elevators and sometimes water pressure go with them.
Most outages end the same day. The long ones follow big storms: after the May 2022 derecho, about 30,000 homes in Ontario and Quebec were still without power more than a week later. Government of Canada guidance is to be ready to look after yourself for at least 72 hours, and that is a sensible minimum to plan around.
Before: set up the basics
The aim is that nobody has to hunt for anything in the dark. Keep the outage gear in one known place and check it once a year.
- One light per person. Headlamps and LED lanterns are safer than candles and leave your hands free.
- A charged power bank for phones, and a battery or crank radio for local news. The Blackout Kit covers lighting, a power bank, a radio and a carbon monoxide alarm in one box.
- A battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm on every level of the home.
- About 4 litres of water per person per day, and food that needs no cooking.
- Some cash in small bills, since card terminals and bank machines need power.
- If someone relies on a powered medical device, a tested backup plan. See medical preparedness.
During the outage
Report the outage to your utility, then switch off or unplug appliances and electronics so they are not hit by a surge when power returns. Leave one light switched on so you know when it is back.
Keep the fridge and freezer closed as much as you can. In winter, move everyone into one room, close the doors to the rest of the house and add layers and blankets. If the house is getting too cold to stay in safely, go to a warming centre, a neighbour or family while it is still easy to travel. More on this under winter storms.
Check on neighbours who live alone, particularly older people.
Common mistakes
Almost all the serious harm in an outage comes from how people try to replace heat and power.
- Running a generator in the garage. Health Canada says never to use a fuel-burning portable generator indoors or in a partly enclosed space, including a garage, even in an emergency. Keep it at least 6 metres from any building.
- Cooking or heating with outdoor equipment indoors. Barbecues, camp stoves and portable burners produce carbon monoxide, which has no smell, taste or colour. A gas range can be used to cook, not to heat the room.
- Trusting a mask or an open window. No dust mask or respirator in a home kit filters carbon monoxide. Only a working alarm tells you it is there. If it sounds, get outside and call 911.
- Plugging a generator or power station into a wall outlet. Feeding a house circuit needs a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
- Expecting a portable power station to run the furnace. They are well suited to phones, lights, a router or a CPAP. Check each model's runtime figures against what you need to run.