Most outages are short. The ones that matter are the ones that run past a day, when the fridge warms up, the phone dies, and the house gets cold or hot. This is the list to work through before that happens.
Before
- Light for every room: flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns, with spare batteries.
- A way to charge phones: power banks, and a portable power station if you want to run more than a phone.
- A battery or hand crank weather radio, so you can hear news and alerts when the internet and cell service are down.
- Food that needs no refrigeration and a way to heat water.
- Water, at least one gallon per person per day for several days.
- A carbon monoxide alarm with a battery backup.
- A cooler and ice packs for the most important cold food and medicine.
- Paper copies of the phone numbers you would need.
During
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. FoodSafety.gov says a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for up to 4 hours. A full freezer holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours, or 24 hours if it is half full and the door stays closed.
- Never run a generator, grill, camp stove, or charcoal indoors or in a garage. Carbon monoxide builds up fast and has no smell.
- Unplug electronics so a surge does not damage them when power returns.
- Check on neighbors who live alone, are older, or depend on medical equipment.
After
- Check refrigerated food. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Replace the batteries, water, and food you used.
- Write down what you wished you had, and get it before the next one.
Lights, power stations, solar panels, and batteries are on our Power and Light page. Weather radios are on the Radios page. Our free Grid Down Checklist is on the Start here page.