How to prepare for an outage
Outage tips
Maintain critical medical equipment
Power outages can affect critical medical equipment. Ensure that backup batteries and other systems are able to supply power for the length of an outage. Outages typically last about 8 hours on average.
Note: While ENMAX Power is unable to make special accommodation for critical equipment, we make our best effort to provide additional notification for those who have registered (approved through a medical practitioner) as a critical power user.
Ensure manual entry access
If your home has electronic access points (FOB doors, elevators, garage door openers), make sure you know how to manually access when there is no power.
Limit fridge and freezer access
Well-sealed refrigerators and freezers will keep your food safe for several hours. Limit how often you open the door to keep the temperature from rising.
Have an alternate work or study plan
Landline phones, wi-fi routers, computers or chargers (anything without a portable battery) will not operate during an outage. If required, have an alternate plan to work or study at another location or consider portable battery chargers/ solar chargers.
Have a backup lighting source
Consider including a lighting source in your standard emergency kit.
Regularly check that flashlights have batteries or are charged.
Additional tips for a planned outage
Ensure your alarm/security is up to date
Notify your alarm/security company about the upcoming outage. If your system has a battery, check that it’s charged.
Adjust your home’s heating/cooling
Adjust your heating or cooling by a few degrees several hours before the planned outage starts. This will help your home stay comfortable while the power is off.
