• If you are a flood victim, you must register with the City of Gatineau by calling 311.
• store items high off the ground, or move items from the main floor or basement to the higher floors;
• plug basement floor drains, toilets and sinks;
• Elevate toxic substances such as pesticides and insecticides to a safe place;
• disconnect the eavestroughing if it is connected to the house drain;
• outside the building, board up basement doors and windows with wood panels and sandbags: sandbags and polyethylene barriers can be excellent ways of preventing water from getting into the house (see How to build a dike with sandbags);
• shut off the gas and electricity for equipment that may get submerged; and
• only shut off the gas outside the house if requested to do so because only the gas company can restart it, which can take some time;
• Empty oil reservoirs and close the valves;
• If you have a submersible pump, make sure it is working properly:
  • make sure that its power supply is not in an area that could be submerged.
• If you use natural gas powered appliances, and you have to evacuate, contact Gazifère right away. You will also have to call them to restart your natural gas supply: 819-771-8321.
• If you use gas powered equipment to pump the water, be sure that it is placed so that its carbon monoxide exhaust will not seep into the building:
  • be sure to install a carbon monoxide detector; and
  • make sure that it is properly situated in case the water level rises.
• If there is a ditch where your driveway meets the road, install markers on either side of your driveway to signal it.
• If you have pets, find a safe place for them.
• Keep your emergency kit at hand, in a travel bag, backpack or suitcase that is easy to carry.

Shut off the power

Only shut off the power if the area around the electrical panel is completely dry. If in doubt, call Hydro-Québec at 1-800-790- 2424 to have them shut it off. Never try to shut off the electricity if there is water nearby. Contact between electrical wires and water can have fatal consequences.

Make sure that you are standing on a dry surface, and use a wooden stick to shut off the power.

When you shut off the power, stand as far as you can from the electrical panel, and turn your face away from it.

Have a flashlight on you.