It's Emergency Preparedness Week - Are you ready for a power outage?

Toronto Hydro is urging residents to plan ahead

TORONTO, May 4, 2015 /CNW/ - This Emergency Preparedness Week, Toronto Hydro is encouraging Torontonians to create or check their emergency kit and ensure that there are enough supplies for up to 72 hours without assistance.

Emergency Preparedness Week takes place from May 3 to 9, and is a good reminder about how important it is to be prepared in advance.

Not sure what you should have in an emergency kit? Download Toronto Hydro's emergency preparedness guide at torontohydro.com/emergencykit  This guide is available in six different languages: English, Chinese, Spanish, Somali, Tamil and Urdu.

When building your emergency kit, remember:

• Keep your emergency kit in an easy-to-access location known to all family members
• Check batteries twice a year
• Ensure that you have at least one cell phone or non-cordless telephone
• Have a list of emergency contact numbers nearby
• Don't forget your pets! Have identification on your animals and enough pet food and water in your emergency kit for at least three days

We also recommend that you customize your kit to your family – aging parents, young children and pets may require more preparation.

QUICK FACTS

• Emergency Preparedness Week is a national awareness initiative that has taken place annually since 1996.
• 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, and sign up for outage notifications
• Toronto Hydro recently signed an agreement with the Canadian Electricity Association's National Mutual Assistance Agreement, which would help improve response times during emergency situations

QUOTES

"Power outages can happen at any time, particularly during severe weather. While most outages don't last long, we want to remind our customers that a little preparation can help them stay safe and minimize inconvenience."
-       Tori Gass, Media Relations Specialist, Toronto Hydro

ABOUT TORONTO HYDRO

Toronto Hydro owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 740,000 customers located in the city of Toronto. It is the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distributes approximately 18% of the electricity consumed in the province of Ontario.

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SOURCE Toronto Hydro Corporation

Tori Gass, Communications and Public Relations, 416-903-4037, [email protected]; 24-hours media line: 416-903-6845, [email protected]