Power Outage Safety Tips

Fire Safety Tips During Power Failures

When your power is out, you may be introducing potential hazards to your home. Please review the following tips and take extra precautions to make sure that everyone stays safe. If you have any questions, contact your fire department.

• Use flashlights whenever possible. If you must use candles, take extreme care.
• Candles should be placed in secure candleholders, protected by a glass chimney.
• Keep candles away from any combustible materials.
• Place candles out of reach of children or pets.
• Extinguish all candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
• Avoid using candles in bedrooms and never leave candles unattended.

• Keep all matches and lighters out of sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet.

• Make sure that all stove elements and ovens are OFF and that nothing has been left on top of the stove.

• Portable generators should be carefully placed outside to ensure that fumes do not enter the home. Install a battery powered CO detector in your home.
• Generators and hot exhaust gases should be kept away from combustibles.
• Store fuel for the generator outside the home. Keep the fuel in an approved container a safe distance away from your home and generator.
• Refuel the generator only after shutting it down and letting it cool. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding use.

• Smoke alarms electrically connected to your home’s AC power supply will not work when the power is out unless they have battery back-ups. Find out what type of alarms you have in your home and ensure you are protected by battery operated smoke alarms in the event of a power failure. Test all smoke alarms now.

• Ensure everyone in the home knows what to do in case of fire. Who is going to look after the children or older adults? Where do you want everyone to meet outside the home? Call the fire department from a neighbour’s home. Everyone should have at least one phone (not cordless) that works during a power failure.