Power Outage

• Keep a 72-hour emergency kit at home in case you lose power for several days. Make sure it includes a battery-operated radio and flashlight and back up batteries.
• Check that any backup heating units are in good working order and properly vented.
• Make sure you have a phone that doesn’t need power to operate (cordless phones won’t work without power). Keep your mobile phone fully charged.
• Consider getting a properly-sized standby generator for your home (follow NB Power’s tips on buying and installing generators).
• Have a working carbon monoxide (CO) detector in your home. This will help protect you against carbon monoxide poisoning, as CO is a colorless, odorless, toxic, flammable gas. CO comes from the incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon such as gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane or wood. Carbon monoxide poisoning can still happen if you have opened your window or garage door.

Check out these additional tips on how to prepare for power outages from Public Safety Canada, including tips for people with disabilities and special needs.

• If your power goes out, call NB Power at 1 800 663-6272 or report it online here.
• Stay away from downed power lines. Stay at least 10 metres away from them and anything that they touch (trees, puddles, vehicles, etc.).
• Be extremely careful with generators, BBQs, camping stoves and propane or kerosene heaters to avoid putting yourself and your family at risk.
  • Never run a generator inside your home, garage, or near a window/air intake outside of your house. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using a generator.
  • Never use a BBQ, camping stove or propane heater inside your house or garage.
• Turn off electrical appliances and electronic equipment to prevent damage when power is restored. Leave one light on inside and one on outside, so both you and power crews know when power has been restored.
• Follow these food safety tips:
  • Use the foods that will spoil quickly first.
  • Keep the doors to the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. Foods can remain frozen in fully-loaded freezers for up to 24 to 36 hours when the door is kept closed.
  • Use coolers filled with snow or ice to keep food cold outside of the fridge.
  • Be careful of storing food outside, even in the winter. It can attract animals and temperatures can vary (especially in the sun) to cause food to become warm enough to grow bacteria.

Check out these additional tips from Public Safety Canada on what to do during and after a power outage

Some original information sourced from NB Power, the City of Calgary, the Government of New Brunswick, and Public Safety Canada.