Preparing before the lights go out

A Two-Tiered Reality

Not all power outages are the same. A blackout lasting a few hours in a single neighborhood is a minor inconvenience that is easily managed. A prolonged interruption covering a large area—such as the one caused by the January 1998 ice storm in Quebec, which left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity for several weeks in the middle of winter—is an entirely different matter.

Possible causes of a prolonged interruption

Several scenarios can lead to a significant power outage. Understanding them helps in better calibrating one’s preparations.

Housing and shelter

In most power outage scenarios, the building itself remains standing and usable. The primary challenge then becomes keeping it habitable without the usual comfort systems.

Maintaining heat without electricity

During a Quebec winter, thermal management is an absolute priority. Several practical measures can help significantly extend the heat retained within a home:

• Consolidate occupants into one or two rooms, rather than attempting to heat the entire home.
• Close the doors to unused rooms to keep heat contained within the occupied spaces.
• Apply plastic film to windows to reduce heat loss.
• Have extra blankets, warm clothing, gloves, and wool socks on hand.
• Emergency thermal blankets (such as aluminized foil blankets) can supplement regular blankets.

Preventive home maintenance

Part of preparing for prolonged power outages involves regular maintenance of your home: checking insulation and sealing, ensuring fire extinguishers are in working order, and inspecting alternative heating systems. A well-maintained and well-insulated home will better withstand a long-term disruption to standard climate-control systems.

Water: storage, backup sources, and filtration

A prolonged power outage can disrupt water pumping and distribution systems. The general rule of thumb found in emergency preparedness guidelines is to have about one gallon (approximately 3.8 liters) of water per person, per day, for consumption and basic hygiene.

Storage options

• Outdoor rainwater collection system (check local regulations).
• Water bricks—compact, long-shelf-life containers for water storage.
• WaterBOB — a liner designed for a standard bathtub, allowing for the rapid storage of a large quantity of clean water in anticipation of an expected service interruption.

Water sources available within the home

In the event of an outage, several water reservoirs are already present in a typical home:

• Water heater — generally contains several tens of liters of clean water.
• Swimming pools — water that can be used for non-consumptive purposes after filtration and treatment.
• Household plumbing — may contain water that can be recovered via gravity.
• Toilet tank — water that is generally not chemically treated; it can be used as a last resort for non-consumptive purposes.

Filtration and purification

Water from uncontrolled sources must be filtered and purified before consumption. A high-quality filter is a worthwhile long-term investment. Low-cost filters may not provide the performance required in a real-world emergency.

Opt for a reputable, tested filter designed for emergency conditions. See our review of the Sawyer Select filter.

Off-grid cooking

During an outage lasting a few days, one can rely on foods that require no cooking or very little preparation. As an outage continues, having an alternative means of cooking becomes a practical necessity—as well as a significant source of mental comfort, especially if children are present.

Items to prioritize for emergency food supplies:

• Long-shelf-life foods that do not require refrigeration.
• Foods that are easy to prepare, ideally requiring little or no water.
• Some comfort foods (chocolate, coffee, tea, biscuits) to help maintain morale.

Alternative energy

Having a backup energy source allows for the maintenance of essential functions, such as lighting, charging communication devices, powering medical equipment, or running a refrigerator for a few hours.

• Generator — a versatile solution, but it requires fuel and must be used outdoors to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Portable batteries and solar chargers — for small electronic devices and lighting.
• Candles — for basic lighting; use with caution (fire hazard).
• Flashlights and lanterns — opt for LED models that use rechargeable batteries.

Fuel and equipment runtime

Owning a generator or a camping stove is only useful if the necessary fuel is available. It is wise to anticipate your needs based on the equipment you have chosen:

• Gasoline — for internal combustion engine generators. Storage must comply with safety guidelines and expiration timeframes.
• Propane or butane gas — for portable stoves. Small canisters are convenient; larger ones offer a longer runtime.
• Kerosene — for lanterns and certain heating stoves.
• Spare batteries — for all portable equipment.

Communication and information

During a prolonged outage, maintaining access to information quickly becomes a priority. Knowing what is happening, estimating the likely duration of the disruption, and coordinating with family members all require having planned for communication methods that do not rely on the standard electrical grid.

• Battery-operated or hand-crank radio — allows you to receive emergency bulletins broadcast by authorities without depending on the electrical grid or the Internet.
• Amateur (HAM) radio — for those who wish to go further, amateur radio offers independent and resilient communication capabilities.
• Pre-established family plan — define a meeting point, an out-of-area contact, and a procedure to follow in case of separation, all in advance.
• Mobile hotspot — when connected to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or inverter, this can help maintain temporary access to digital information, provided the cellular network is still operational.

Prioritizing your actions

Given all these factors, it can be helpful to structure your preparation in a logical order—from the most urgent to the least urgent—tailored to the context of Quebec.

1. Water — maintain a minimum reserve and have a means of filtration available.
2. Heat — identify a supplementary heating solution suitable for your home, especially for the winter months.
3. Food — keep a stock of long-shelf-life staple foods and an alternative method for cooking.
4. Lighting and basic energy — flashlights, candles, portable batteries.
5. Communication — battery-operated radio, a family emergency plan, and knowledge of emergency contact numbers.
6. Fuel — ensure a supply that is compatible with the equipment you have on hand.

Points of caution

• Carbon monoxide — generators, camping stoves, and combustion-based lanterns must never be used inside an enclosed space without adequate ventilation. Carbon monoxide poisoning is silent and potentially fatal.
• Fire — using candles and lanterns under unusual circumstances increases the risk of fire. Keep fire extinguishers in good working order.
• Refrigerated medication — if any household members rely on medication that requires a cold chain (refrigeration), plan ahead for how to manage it.
• Vulnerable individuals—the elderly, young children, and those with specific medical conditions—are at greater risk from the consequences of a prolonged power outage. Take this into account when planning for your household.

Further reading

A power outage is one of the most likely and well-documented scenarios that a household in Quebec might face. Preparing for this possibility—even in a basic way—significantly improves your ability to navigate an interruption without having to make rushed decisions.

• Understanding the vulnerabilities of the electrical grid
• Preparing for an electromagnetic pulse (EMP)
• Building a 30-day food supply
• Testing your family’s preparedness skills
• Review of the Sawyer Select water filter