BC Hydro says an online survey shows many households are stocked up but unprepared to ride out a major winter storm.
It found 20 per cent of homeowners believe they are prepared for an extended power outage because they laid in supplies such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer and groceries.
But the utility points out that stockpiling toilet paper won't help when storms cut power and leave people without heat, light or the ability to cook food and keep it from rotting for several days.
But the online survey of 803 B.C. residents conducted in early October says more than half lack an emergency kit or a plan, meaning households are ``stocked up, but unprepared'' to ride out a major storm.