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Power Outage Safety

Power outage safety

Power outages happen for lots of reasons, including storms or power lines that have been hit by a piece of machinery. Fortunately, power can be restored quickly in most situations.

In extreme conditions, power outages can last for an indeterminate amount of time, and you should be prepared if this happens. 

  • Never go near or touch a downed power line or any other damaged electrical facility. 
  • Unplug electrical equipment. This will protect your electrical devices from damage when the power is restored. Use surge protectors on sensitive electronic equipment.  
  • If your neighbour’s power is on, check your circuit breaker panel. Turn all breakers off for 10 minutes before turning them back on. If your neighbour’s power is also off, phone your local electricity distributor to report the outage.

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

Local electricity distributors

Enmax

Report an outage in Calgary:
403-514-6100

FortisAlberta

24-hour emergency hotline:
310-WIRE (310-9473)

EPCOR

Report a power emergency in Edmonton:
780-412-4500

ATCO Electric

24-hour emergency hotline:
1-800-668-5506