Toronto Hydro's hacks for surviving a power outage

It's emergency preparedness week, but survey shows Toronto residents aren't ready

TORONTO, May 2, 2016 /CNW/ - Less than half of Torontonians are ready for an emergency, according to a Toronto Hydro survey conducted for Emergency Preparedness Week.

The results of our survey show that almost 60% of residents don't have an emergency preparedness kit, and of those people, 35% said they didn't know they needed one.

To help our customers stay comfortable during an emergency — such as a power outage — we've put together three emergency "hacks" using items found around the home:

• Open canned food without a can opener: https://youtu.be/fm-JLzr4RII
• Make a lamp with a jug of water and a flashlight: https://youtu.be/tDoWpNvvgvg
• Make a solar oven using a cereal box and aluminum foil: https://youtu.be/Fq3CR55lw-s

We want all residents to be ready for an emergency and encourage them to visit torontohydro.com/beprepared for a full list of what's needed if the power goes out.

QUICK FACTS

• In the event of an emergency, you should be prepared with enough supplies for 72 hours
• In the event of a major outage, Toronto Hydro has a website – OutageTO.com – that can be accessed from any device to get the latest news and updates
• When building your emergency kit, remember:
  • Pack at least four litres of water per person per day
  • Make sure you have non-perishable food and a can opener
  • Include a radio (crank or battery powered)
  • Include a flashlight with extra batteries
  • Keep your emergency kit in an easy-to-access location known to all family members

QUOTES

"If you've been putting off creating an emergency preparedness kit, you may need to rely on the items already in your home to stay comfortable. These emergency hacks can help in a pinch, but remember, they won't replace a fully-stocked emergency kit."
-       Tori Gass, Spokesperson, Toronto Hydro

ABOUT TORONTO HYDRO

Toronto Hydro owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 756,000 customers located in the city of Toronto. It is the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distributes approximately 19% of the electricity consumed in the province of Ontario.

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Flickr - flickr.com/torontohydro
LinkedIn - Linkedin.com/company/toronto-hydro

SOURCE Toronto Hydro Corporation

Video with caption: "Video: Emergency Preparedness Hack: Open canned food without a can opener". Video available at: https://youtu.be/fm-JLzr4RII

Video with caption: "Video: Emergency Preparedness Hack: Make a lamp with a jug of water and a flashlight". Video available at: https://youtu.be/tDoWpNvvgvg

Video with caption: "Video: Emergency Preparedness Hack: Make a solar oven using a cereal box and aluminum foil". Video available at: https://youtu.be/Fq3CR55lw-s

Image with caption: "An emergency preparedness kit should be stocked with enough supplies to last 72 hours. (CNW Group/Toronto Hydro Corporation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160502_C7500_PHOTO_EN_679911.jpg

For further information: Tori Gass, Communications and Public Relations, 416-903-4037, [e-mail]; 24-hours media line: 416-903-6845, [e-mail]