Power Outage Preparedness Checklist

What causes long outages

Storms, wildfires, extreme heat and cold, equipment failures and cyberattacks can all knock out the grid. Most outages are short, but large storms can leave neighborhoods without power for a week or more.

Light

Ready.gov advises using flashlights rather than candles, which cause home fires. Keep a flashlight or headlamp for each person, plus LED lanterns that light a whole room. Store extra batteries in the sizes your devices use.

Power for phones and devices

• Keep power banks charged and top them up whenever a storm is forecast.
• A car can charge phones, but only run it outside, never in a garage, even with the door open.
• For longer outages, a portable power station can run lights, a fridge, a CPAP or a router.

Medical devices and medicine

If someone relies on oxygen, a CPAP, a power wheelchair or refrigerated medicine, talk to your doctor about a plan. Ask your utility whether it keeps a medical priority list, and know where you could go if your backup power runs out.

Information

A battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio keeps you informed if cell service and internet go down. Sign up for your area's emergency alerts before an outage.

Safety

• Install battery-powered or battery-backup carbon monoxide detectors.
• Never use generators, grills, camp stoves or charcoal indoors.
• Unplug electronics to protect them from surges when power returns.
• Stay away from downed power lines and report them to your utility.

Your power outage checklist

• Flashlights or headlamps for each person
• LED lanterns
• Extra batteries
• Hand-crank NOAA weather radio
• Charged power banks and cables
• Portable power station (optional)
• Cooler and appliance thermometers
• Water and non-perishable food
• Manual can opener
• Battery-powered carbon monoxide detector
• Cash in small bills