Emergency Preparedness

Emergencies can happen anytime and anywhere such as an unexpected power outage.  Whether you are at home, in the car or at work, it’s important to plan and to have a few items that could be helpful in case of an emergency.    

Here are a few tips to help you get ready: 

  • Get connected.  
  • Prepare an emergency kit. 
  • Develop an emergency plan

When there’s an emergency, the quickest help can come from people who live near you. Think about who could help. This could be friends, family, neighbours, or others.

In the event of an emergency such as a power outage, plan to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours (about three days).    

Here are some things to include in your emergency kit:   

  • Telephone numbers of your emergency contacts 
  • Non-perishable food and water (4 litres per person per day) 
  • Medications and prescriptions as needed
  • Important documents (ID card, OHIP card)
  • Toilet paper and other hygiene products
  • Flashlight
  • Battery-powered radio
  • Batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Some cash (bank machines and credit card readers may be out of order)
  • Whistle
  • Warm blanket
  • Cell phone charger    

If you have a baby or preschool children that are 0 to 4 years old add the following:  

  • Diapers   
  • Extra clothing   
  • Soap, cream  
  • Blanket  
  • Toys and something to comfort your child   
  • Baby carrier if needed 
  •  Infant formula (enough for at least three days);   

    • If possible, have ready-to-feed formula. There will be no need to sterilize water, bottles, and nipples. 

    • If you do not have ready-to-feed formula, make sure you have nipples, bottles, and water. Clean and sterilize everything. Find out more about how to prepare formula safely. 

  • If your baby eats solid food, make sure you have food that does not need cooking

To learn more about what to include in your family’s emergency kit: Emergency Kits - Government of Canada. 

Feeding your baby during a power outage

If you are breastfeeding your child: 
  • Breastfeeding has many advantages for mothers and babies in emergencies. Breast milk is safe, clean, accessible and protects against many common childhood diseases.  It promotes relaxation, and skin-to-skin contact increases the child’s sense of security.
  • During an emergency, it is very important to continue breastfeeding.
  • If you are breastfeeding and bottle-feeding (combination feeding), it could be hard to boil water, clean, and sterilize bottles and nipples.
  • You could breastfeed your baby more often. That way, your baby may drink less formula. Besides, your body may increase its milk production. 

For more information, please consult the Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding page or find infant feeding support near you.

During a power outage, make sure to check with the centers to confirm that they are open before leaving your home.  

Breast milk in the refrigerator and freezer:   

  • Keep breast milk at the back of your freezer at all times. A full-capacity freezer will keep milk frozen for roughly 48 hours.  A half-filled freezer will keep the milk frozen for roughly 24 hours. 
  • If the milk still has ice crystals, it is safe to use and can be refrozen.
  • If the milk has thawed completely but is still cold, you can store it in the refrigerator and use it within 24 hours. 
  • Consider moving food to a relative's house if they have power. You can also call 2-1-1 for information about nearby resources. 

Tips to make sure you have ice:

  • Keep empty jugs and jars.
  • Wash them and fill them with tap water.
  • Put them in your freezer. 
  • In the event of a power outage, the jugs will serve as ice packs. 
  • They can also be thawed for emergency water.  

If the power outage lasts 4 hours or LESS: 

  • Avoid opening your refrigerator and freezer. 
  • If possible, you can add ice to your refrigerator and freezer to keep food colder. 
  • Use a thermometer to ensure that the refrigerator temperature is 4 degrees or below. If it is above 4 degrees for more than 2 hours, discard the milk and food. 
  • Food contaminated by bacteria may not always smell bad and may not look contaminated.  
  • For more information, check out our food safety during a power outage fact sheet.    

If the power outage lasts MORE than 4 hours: 

If you use formula: 

There are three types of formula: 
  1. Ready to feed
  2. Liquid concentrate
  3. Powdered 

During a power outage or other emergency, ready-to-feed formula is easier to use. If possible, use it because there is nothing to sterilize. If you use formats containing more than one dose, you can store them in the refrigerator. Use them within 48 hours of opening. 

However 
  • If you use liquid concentrate or powdered formula, it is important to boil the water for at least 2 minutes. Sterilize the bottles and nipples. Learn how to prepare water for formula feeding and how to sterilize equipment for bottle feeding. 
  • Sterilization is necessary for babies born healthy and at term up to 2 months of age.  For premature babies, follow your doctor’s recommendations.
  • Prepared powdered formula, when mixed with water, can be refrigerated. It should be used within 24 hours.
  • Liquid concentrate mixed with water can be kept in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  The remaining, unmixed quantity can be stored in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
  • Store formula in the refrigerator. Avoid opening the door. If the refrigerator temperature is 4 degrees or above for more than 2 hours, discard the formula. 
  • Food contaminated by bacteria does not always smell bad. It may not look contaminated.
  • If you are unable to boil water and do not have access to ready-to-feed formula, call 2-1-1. They will be able to assist you.
  • If you must leave your home, store bottles in a cooler on ice. If possible, put bottles in a refrigerator when you reach your destination.
  • If you have left the prepared formula unrefrigerated for more than a total of 2 hours, do not use it.  When in doubt, discard it.
  • Discard any formula remaining in the bottle after the feeding.
  • You should not reheat the formula more than once. 

Find more information about formula and bottle feeding

As needed: 
  • Consider moving food to a relative's house if they have power. You can also call 2-1-1 for information about nearby resources. 

Tips to make sure you have ice:

  • Keep empty jugs and jars.
  • Wash them and fill them with tap water.
  • Put them in your freezer. 
  • In the event of a power outage, the jugs will serve as ice packs. 
  • They can also be thawed for emergency water. 

If the power outage lasts 4 hours or LESS:

  • Avoid opening your refrigerator and freezer. 
  • If possible, you can add ice to your refrigerator and freezer to keep food colder. 
  • Use a thermometer to ensure that the temperature of the refrigerator is four degrees or below. If it is above 4 degrees for more than 2 hours, discard the milk and food. 
  • Food contaminated by bacteria does not always smell bad. It may not look contaminated.
  • For more information, check out our food safety during a power outage factsheet.

If the power outage lasts MORE than 4 hours:   

If you are worried that you will not be able to replace food lost due to a power outage, call 2-1-1. They can provide you with information on resources in your neighborhood. They can also tell you about food banks. Some food banks offer a “baby cupboard” program and can provide formula, diapers, etc.

During an emergency, you may feel more anxious than usual. Mental Health in Pregnancy and After Birth has some tips for taking care of yourself and information on signs and symptoms to look for. There are also suggestions about what your loved ones can do to help you as well as available resources.

Children’s mental health  

Here are some emergency preparedness tips that can help your children feel safe:
Before an emergency:   
  • Remember to have familiar items for your baby, such as a blanket.  
  • Talk to your children about a household plan and explain the importance of following it.   
  • Show them where the family meeting place is located.  
  • Show them how to ask for help: who to turn to for help.  
  • Tell them what to do if they get separated from you in a public place.  
  • Considering your child’s age: 
  • ask them to help you prepare your emergency kit. 
  • and if you live in an apartment building, show them the evacuation plan. If possible, the location of emergency buttons.
During and after an emergency:    
  • Comfort your baby when they need it and try to find a quieter place.  
  • Breastfeed your baby.  
  • Stay calm and reassure your children often.  
  • Explain what is happening in simple, age-appropriate words.  
  • Avoid exposing your children to too much information and images from the media.  
  • After an emergency, it is important to allow children to talk about what they experienced. It is also important to allow them to share their concerns.

After an emergency, some children will show signs of anxiety. Pay particular attention to the following signs and symptoms:   

  • Difficulty sleeping 
  • Poor appetite or mood changes 
  • Physical symptoms such as a tummy ache or headache  
  • Lack of energy 
  • Lack of interest in preferred activities and/or isolation 
  • Changes in the quality of work and performance at school 
  • Decreased attention span.

You can help your child, even if you also had difficult experiences in emergencies. However, your child may need professional help.

Here are a few resources:

Extreme heat can cause illness and, in some cases, death. When temperatures and humidity are high, it can be difficult to keep cool.

Visit Ottawa Public Health for information on heat advisories. Find where to cool off with an interactive map and much more. You will also find information on how to deal with extreme heat during a power outage.

Pregnant women, babies and children are at greater risk of dehydration (lack of water in the body).  It is therefore important to avoid exposing them to the heat for too long during extreme heat alerts. You will find information on sun safety and how to keep babies and toddlers safe. You will also find information on the signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Winter brings the risk of extreme cold. Cold is associated with frostbite, hypothermia, falls and even death. The following resources can help:

  • Call 2-1-1 for winter clothing and support services 
  • Call 3-1-1 to help the homeless escape the cold
  • Visit Ottawa Public Health for information on extreme cold advisories, places to warm up (interactive map) and much more. You will also find information on how to deal with extreme cold during a power outage.
  • Babies are more at risk of frostbite and hypothermia (severe drop in body temperature). Consult the winter safety  for more information. 

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