Power outages are the most common emergency most households will ever face. They can last minutes, days, or in extreme cases, weeks. Most people are not prepared for anything beyond a few hours.
This guide tells you exactly what to do before, during, and after a power outage — and how to prepare so the next one does not catch you off guard.
Before the Power Goes Out: Preparation That Costs Almost Nothing
- Know where your supplies are. Every adult in your household should be able to find the headlamp, power bank, emergency radio, first aid kit, and emergency contact list in the dark within 60 seconds.
- Charge everything before a forecast storm. Phones, power banks, and laptops to 100% before the outage hits.
- Keep cash on hand. ATMs and card readers fail when power fails. $100-200 in small denominations at home.
- Know your medical device situation. Contact your utility company about priority restoration schemes for medically dependent households.
- Set the thermostat. If an outage is likely in cold weather, raise heating to maximum before the power goes out.
The First Hour: What to Do Immediately
- Check the scope. Is it just your home (check your fuse box) or the whole street? Report to your utility company and check their outage map.
- Get your headlamp. Not your phone torch — your phone battery is too precious to waste on lighting.
- Charge critical devices on your power bank. Phone first.
- Open your fridge and freezer as little as possible. A full freezer maintains safe temperature for 48 hours. A refrigerator for 4 hours.
- Tune in your emergency radio. Find your local emergency broadcast frequency.
- Do not use candles near flammable materials. Battery lighting is safer.
The First 24 Hours
Food safety guidelines:
- Refrigerated food is safe for up to 4 hours with the fridge closed
- Full freezers maintain safe temperatures for 48 hours; half-full for 24 hours
- When in doubt, throw it out
Do not use generators, camp stoves, or charcoal grills indoors. Carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for more deaths in power outages than almost any other cause.
If you have a gas cooker: gas hobs typically still work during a power outage. Gas ovens are usually electric-controlled and may not work.
Extended Outages: Day 2 and Beyond
- Water: Municipal water pressure often fails in extended outages. Fill every container you have immediately — including bathtubs — before pressure drops.
- Medications: Know the room-temperature window for any refrigerated medications. An insulated cooler with ice packs extends this window.
- Communication: Text messages queue and send more reliably than voice calls. Your emergency radio is your best source of information.
- Heat loss: A well-insulated home loses 1-2°F per hour without heating in cold weather. After 24 hours, indoor temperatures can become dangerous for the young, elderly, or unwell.
How to Shelter in Place During a Cold-Weather Outage
- Identify your smallest interior room with fewest windows
- Seal gaps under doors with rolled towels
- Cover windows with plastic sheeting or heavy curtains
- Move sleeping bags, thermal blankets, warm clothing, and your food and water supply into this room
- Share body heat — sleeping together in a small space is significantly warmer
- Use hand warmers inside sleeping bags for the coldest hours (typically 3-6am)
This approach can maintain survivable temperatures for 24-48 hours even in severe cold.
After the Power Returns
- Check your food safety. Anything in the fridge for more than 4 hours should be discarded or smell-tested carefully.
- Reset clocks and check smoke/CO detectors.
- Restock your supplies — replace used power bank charge, eaten emergency food, and used water.
- Note what you lacked. Every outage is a training exercise. Add anything missing to next month’s prep list.