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Dec. 23 2013, the day after an ice storm lashed sourer Ontario and caused power outages in the affected areas, work crews were again at hand trying to restore power. These Toronto Hydro workers were repairing primary conductors on Queen St. East in the Beach on Dec. 23, 2013.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail

Christmas may be merry, but not necessarily bright for thousands of Canadians left in the dark by a recent ice storm. Here are a few dos and don'ts for those who find themselves facing the holidays without electricity.

Do:

- Eat what's in your fridge, but cautiously. Refrigerated food should be safe for the first four hours you spend without power. After that, it starts to spoil. Food safety guidelines suggest you should avoid eating it if its internal temperature has climbed above 4 C. Food in a half-full freezer should be safe for 24 hours, while a full freezer can maintain cold temperatures for up to 48 hours. After that, try to relocate the food somewhere cold – like just outside your front door, where frigid temperatures are expected to prevail over the next few days.

- Unplug all unnecessary appliances to protect them from potential power surges as hydro crews work to restore electricity. And make sure the stove is off. Leave on only select lights to let you know that you're back up and running.

- Keep a few taps turned on to a trickle to prevent pipes from freezing.

- You may find that your cellphone is your only remaining means of communication with the outside world, and if so you should conserve battery life. You can make the most of a limited resource by turning down the screen brightness and turning off power-hungry functions such as Bluetooth, WiFi and location services.

Don't:

- Don't use generators, barbecues, camping stoves or other types of outdoor heaters in the home. They all generate carbon monoxide, a colourless and odourless gas that is fatal if allowed to accumulate.

- Steer clear of downed power lines. They could still be live and deadly even if they show no active danger signs.

- Candles and wood-burning fires may be effective tools during a blackout, but they should never be left unattended. Douse all flames before leaving a room. A safer candle alternative is a battery-powered or wind-up LED light, which uses hardly any electricity.

- Don't keep opening your fridge and freezer doors to check on food safety. Your supplies will last longer if the doors are kept shut as much as possible.

- Avoid internal wires or fuses that may have come into contact with water. Leave those to an electrician if you have concerns.

Bonus (a do and a don't):

- Don't be a Scrooge. Check on friends and family without power, and if possible offer help to those left out in the cold.

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