Food and Water Safety Practices and Preparedness of Ontarians at Home During Power Outages and Other Emergencies: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Food and water safety practises during extended power outages was studied. • Various unsafe methods to assess food and water safety were reported. • Those with higher income more likely to use refrigerator/freezer thermometers. • Woman more likely to follow guidelines for safely handling refrigerated food. • Findings can support development of tailored public health resources. Power outages can compromise drinking water systems and the ability to control the temperature of refrigerated foods. However, few previous studies have examined people’s practices and preparedness in this area. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to understand the preparedness and food and water safety practices of Ontario, Canada, residents at home during extended power outages and other emergencies. A survey was developed based on previous research and government guidelines and was administered to an online panel of Ontarians in June 2024. Descriptive analyses were conducted with key outcomes stratified by participant demographics. A total of 752 participants completed the survey. To determine the safety of perishable food in refrigerators during a power outage, 68.2% (n=512) of respondents considered the amount of time in the refrigerator. To keep perishable food safe for longer, 52.9% (n=398) of respondents considered keeping it outside in cold weather. To determine the safety of drinking water during a power outage, 59.2% (n=445) of respondents considered the smell and taste of the water. Higher income respondents and those who had experienced a power outage previously were more likely to use refrigerator and freezer thermometers. Women were more likely than men to follow safe refrigeration guidelines (13.7% vs. 7.9%). Government websites (61.3%; n=461) and family and friends (57.7%; n=434) were the most common sources of information. The findings highlight the prevalence of certain unsafe food and water handling practices and differences based on sociodemographic status. Results can support the development of tailored public health messaging and outreach.