Safety Tips for Residents From the City of Peterborough in The Event of a Utility Outage
/The City of Peterborough is providing safety tips for residents in the event of utility outages in advance of the major winter storm that is forecast to begin in the late hours of Thursday.
Photo by Samantha Bianco.
Peterborough could be hit with rapidly falling temperatures, potentially damaging winds along, snow and potential for blizzard conditions on Friday and into the weekend.
To protect their home and property during extended power outages during cold weather, residents are encouraged to:
leave the cold water tap open slightly so there is a trickle of water to prevent pipes from freezing
open cupboard doors to kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow the residual heat from inside the house will help keep the indoor pipes from freezing
keep fridges/freezers closed to keep items cold as long as possible
do not use barbeques or propane heaters indoors due to carbon monoxide risk
don't leave burning candles unattended
Peterborough Fire Services offers the following advice to keep you and your family safe from a winter fire:
Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have battery backups
Plan two ways out of the home in case of an emergency. Clear driveway and front walk of ice and snow. This will provide easy access to your home
If possible, try to keep hydrants clear of snow and ice so firefighters can access them if needed
Make sure your house number can be seen from the street
Be ready if the heat stops working. Use extra layers of clothes and blankets to stay warm. If you use an emergency heat source, keep anything that can burn at least three feet away. NEVER use your oven to heat your home
Have flashlights or battery-powered lighting and fresh batteries. Never use candles. If you must use candles, never leave them unattended
Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room. Turn them off when you go to bed
Check on neighbours and others who may need help
Generators should be used outdoors. Keep them away from windows and doors. Do not run a generator inside your garage, even if the door is open. Never fuel a generator while it is running
Keep snow, ice, and other debris away from exhaust vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
Stay at least 10 metres away from downed wires and report any downed wires to authorities: 1-888-664-9376 for Hydro One, or 911 if there is an immediate personal safety risk
