Power Outage Plan
Outages are common on Vancouver Island, especially in winter storms. A few simple items keep you lit, warm, charged, and safe.
🟠 What to do now
Most urgent first. You do not have to finish the list to be safer.
- Check your breaker panel — if only part of your home is out, it may be your panel, not the grid.
- Report the outage to BC Hydro and check the map for an estimate.
- Turn off and unplug electronics and heaters so a surge doesn't damage them when power returns. Leave one light on so you know it's back.
- Keep fridge and freezer doors shut: about 4 hours for a fridge, 24–48 hours for a full freezer.
- Switch to flashlights. Skip candles if you can.
- Put on layers before you feel cold, and close off one room to hold heat.
- Charge phones from a power bank or a car (engine outside, never in a closed garage).
What this is
- Wind is the leading cause of multi-day outages on Vancouver Island. Trees fall on lines, and repairs take longer in rural Cowichan areas.
- The dangers in an outage are usually indirect: carbon monoxide, cold, spoiled food, candles, and unmanaged medical needs — not the darkness itself.
Warning signs
Early warning signs
- Wind or snow warning
- Flickering lights
- Neighbours reporting outages
Serious warning signs
- Outage estimated over 12 hours
- Cold snap or heat event during the outage
Immediate danger signs
- Smell of gas or burning
- CO alarm sounding
- Medical equipment battery low
Where official alerts come from
- BC Hydro outage map and 1-888-769-3766
- Local radio
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
Prepare ahead — by the time you have
I have 5 minutes
- Put a flashlight in every room.
- Save BC Hydro's number in your phone and on paper.
I have 1 hour
- Charge power banks.
- Fill water containers.
- Test your carbon monoxide alarm.
I have 1 day
- Freeze water bottles to fill freezer gaps.
- Plan meals that need no cooking.
- Register for BC Hydro's medical equipment program if you rely on powered devices.
Long-term improvement
- Add a larger battery or solar charger.
- Learn how to manually open an electric garage door or gate.
- Build to 7 days of no-cook food.
Supplies, in three levels
Start at Level 1. Everything here has a purpose and a cheaper alternative where one is safe.
Level 1 — Essentials
The minimum that makes you safer today.
- Flashlight or headlamp per personWhy: Safer than candles and keeps hands free.Low-cost option: Dollar-store LEDs.
- Power bankWhy: Phone for alerts and contact.
- Warm layers and blanketsWhy: Heat loss is the main outage risk in winter.Low-cost option: Thrift-store wool.
- No-cook food and waterWhy: Stove and fridge may both be down.
Level 2 — Better prepared
Roughly 72 hours to seven days.
- Carbon monoxide alarm (battery)Why: The single most important safety device during heating improvisation.
- Camp stove + fuel — outdoors onlyWhy: Hot food and boiled water.
- Cooler + ice packsWhy: Protects refrigerated medication and food.Low-cost option: Frozen water bottles work as ice packs.
- Battery radioWhy: Official updates without data.
Level 3 — Extended resilience
Longer disruptions, built gradually.
- Portable power stationWhy: Runs CPAP, lights and phones for a day or more.
- Solar panelWhy: Recharges batteries during multi-day outages.
- Generator + safe outdoor placementWhy: Whole-home backup. Keep it at least 6 m from windows and doors, and never inside.
Different living situations
No house, car, garage or credit card assumed.
House or apartment
Know your panel, and that electric-only buildings lose heat, cooking and hot water at once. Elevators stop — plan stairs.
Single rented room
One light, one power bank, one warm layer covers most of it. Ask the landlord about hallway lighting and exits.
Shelter or supportive housing
Staff usually have a plan; ask where charging and warm space will be.
Vehicle
You can charge phones from the car, but only with the engine outside and the exhaust clear. Don't drain the battery — keep it above half.
Tent or outside
Outages don't change much for you, but the community charging spots you rely on may close. Charge early, and keep a spare battery.
Workplace or school
Know how the building exits without power and where the muster point is.
Moving between locations
Libraries, community centres and warming spaces are your charging plan. Note their hours ahead of time.
Accessibility, health and medication
- Register powered medical equipment with BC Hydro so you're prioritised and notified.
- Keep at least one backup battery for oxygen concentrators, CPAP, lifts or scooters, and know the runtime.
- Refrigerated medication: a cooler with ice packs usually holds safe temperatures for a day — confirm with your pharmacist.
- Deaf and hard-of-hearing: keep a battery-powered visual alert or a charged phone with text alerts.
- If elevators are out and you can't use stairs, plan in advance who will check on you and how.
Children, seniors and pets
- Children: light and routine reduce fear. Make it a camp-out, not a crisis.
- Seniors: cold rooms are risky. Check twice a day and watch for confusion or shivering that stops.
- Pets: keep them warm and leashed near open doors; heat and cold hit small animals faster.
🚫 Mistakes to avoid
- Never run a generator, barbecue, camp stove or charcoal indoors, in a garage, tent or vehicle.
- Never plug a generator into a wall outlet — backfeed can kill line workers.
- Do not use a gas oven for heat.
- Do not open the freezer 'just to check'.
- Do not leave candles burning unattended or near bedding.
- Do not touch a downed line or anything it's touching.
Recovery afterward
First hour
- Check on neighbours, especially anyone alone or medically dependent.
First day
- Throw out fridge food held above 4 °C for more than 4 hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Reconnect appliances one at a time.
First week
- Restock batteries and recharge power banks.
- Note what ran out first.
Longer recovery
- Add the one thing you missed most.
- Consider a bigger battery if medical equipment is involved.
☎️ Numbers worth writing down
- Fire, police, ambulance: 911 — Life-threatening emergency, fire, or someone not breathing.
- HealthLink BC: 811 — Free 24/7 nurse advice when you're not sure it's a 911 situation.
- Poison control (BC): 1-800-567-8911 — Swallowed, breathed in, or spilled anything harmful.
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: 988 — Call or text, 24/7, anywhere in Canada.
- Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1-888-494-3888 — 24/7 local mental-health and emotional support.
- BC Hydro outages: 1-888-769-3766 — Report an outage or a downed line (stay 10 m back).
- Emergency Info BC: EmergencyInfoBC.gov.bc.ca — Current evacuation alerts and orders.
Personal notes: ______________________________________________
Date last checked: ____________________
Key takeaways
- Light, warmth, and a charged phone cover most outages.
- Never use BBQs, camp stoves, or generators indoors.
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed to protect food.
Step-by-step
- Light and power. Keep flashlights or headlamps, spare batteries, a power bank for your phone, and a battery or hand-crank radio.
- Stay warm. Have warm clothing and blankets ready. Dress in layers and gather in one room to share heat.
- Cook safely. Never use outdoor cooking or heating equipment indoors — BBQs, camp stoves, and generators give off carbon monoxide that can kill.
- Protect food. Keep the fridge (about 4 hours) and freezer (24–48 hours) closed. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Check on neighbours. During winter storms, check on seniors and anyone living alone, and have a plan for charging phones.
✅ Printable checklist
- Flashlight/headlamp + spare batteries
- Charged power bank + cable
- Battery or hand-crank radio
- Warm clothing and blankets
- Fridge/freezer kept closed
- Phone charging plan