Power Outage Response Guide

What can you do to prepare for a power outage?

Power outages are one of the most common interruptions to business operations in Canada. Extreme weather conditions such as high winds, freezing temperatures, storms, or heat waves can cause these outages by damaging power lines and electrical equipment. Power outages can last minutes, days, or even weeks, which makes being prepared beforehand for periods without power important.

The below page contains some tips and resources, along with some essential items, that will help in navigating a power outage.


Before

1. BEFORE

What you need for upcoming power outages:

  • Prepare an emergency kit
  • Develop an evacuation plan
  • Back up any important files and operating systems regularly
  • Ensure you have extra fuses for any critical machinery
  • Have a reliable backup power supply on standby
  • Where possible, use surge protectors or uninterruptible power supplies to avoid power surge damage
SAY244

FIRST AID KITS

XB872

BATTERIES

XE670

SURGE PROTECTOR STRIPS

XA818

SURGE PROTECTOR OUTLETS

OD758

UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLIES

XI762

GAS POWERED GENERATORS

XI279

GAS POWERED INVERTERS

SEG853

EMERGENCY LIGHTING UNITS

XC485

OUTDOOR EXTENSION CORDS


During

2. DURING

What you need to have on hand for a power outage:

  • Report the power outage to your local electrical utility company right away
  • Turn off any appliances or equipment that were left on when the power went out
  • Have a radio or similar device available to stay informed on the latest news reports
  • Keep emergency kit on hand in a portable container
  • If someone has been injured, assess the situation and call 911 if necessary
XI438

LANTERNS

XC977

HAND-HELD FLASHLIGHTS

UAE024

CORDLESS RADIO

SFU792

HAND HELD TWO-WAY RADIOS

SAK745

EMERGENCY LIGHT/GLOW STICKS


After

3. AFTER

What you need following a power outage:

  • Use extreme caution when inspecting all electrical wires and machinery
  • Check with local authorities to make sure drinking water is safe
  • Inspect and replace any damaged electrical components or equipment
  • Ensure an electrician has determined it is safe before turning on main power or using electrical panels and appliances
  • Restock any supplies that may have been consumed during the power outage
IC856

AC VOLTAGE DETECTORS

XC605

JUNCTION BOXES

XE890

ELECTRICAL TAPES

XB476

BUILDING WIRE