25 Essential Steps on How to Prepare for a Power Outage

Power outages can strike anytime, leaving us in the dark and unprepared. Knowing how to stay safe, comfortable, and connected makes all the difference. 

This guide walks you through 25 practical steps to prepare your home, your family, and your essentials. Follow these tips, and you’ll face a blackout with confidence, not panic.

• Prepare your home by checking wiring, installing surge protection, and ensuring smoke detectors work properly.
  
  

• Build a family emergency plan and practice it so everyone knows their roles during a power outage.
  
  

• Stock water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, and backup power sources to stay safe and comfortable.
  
  

• Protect electronics and charge devices ahead of time to prevent damage and maintain connectivity.
  
  

• Include pets, heating/cooling strategies, and alternative cooking options in your preparation for a blackout.

Check your home’s electrical wiring for damage or age-related wear. Inspect circuit breakers to ensure they handle surges safely. 

Repair frayed or exposed wires promptly. Consider surge protection for electronics and backup options for electric water pumps. Ensure smoke detectors have working batteries.

Develop a clear plan for power outages that assigns responsibilities to each household member. 

Set a meeting point if family members are separated and decide on communication methods like walkie-talkies or text messages. Review and practice the plan regularly to stay prepared.

Include essentials like water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, and a first aid kit. 

Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for three days. Customize your kit with medications, baby supplies, or pet food. Keep everything in a sturdy, portable container.

Store three to seven days of non-perishable food per person, including canned goods, grains, nuts, and seeds. 

Rotate supplies to prevent spoilage and calculate portions based on family size and potential outage length.

When getting ready for a power outage, one of the most important steps is making sure your household has enough safe water. 

Health agencies emphasize this because water isn’t just for drinking, you’ll need it for cooking, brushing your teeth, and basic hygiene. 

Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that families should store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for a minimum of three days, and ideally build up to a two-week supply. 

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality echoes this, recommending the same daily amount for a longer, two-week emergency reserve. 

Many organizations, including FEMA and the American Red Cross, stress that certain situations may require even more water, such as hot climates, pregnancy, illness, or caring for pets. 

By using clean, food-grade containers, keeping water in a cool, dark place, and rotating stored supplies regularly, you can ensure your home stays prepared and protected during an extended outage.

Provide each family member with a bright, durable flashlight and keep extras on hand. Test lights regularly and store batteries in a cool, dry place. Keep spare bulbs for lanterns to ensure reliable lighting.

Every year, millions of households face power outages, and recent findings from the U.S. The Energy Information Administration highlighted that in 2022, customers experienced roughly five and a half hours without electricity, an improvement from the previous year. 

Knowing outages are common, having extra batteries becomes more than a convenience; it’s a lifeline. 

Critical devices like phones, Wi-Fi routers, CPAP machines, refrigerators, and LED lights rely on steady backup power, and their battery life can vary widely depending on capacity and usage. 

A high-capacity power bank can keep your phone running for days, while medical devices or refrigerators may require stronger solutions like UPS units or generators. 

Emergency experts suggest storing enough batteries to support your essential devices for at least three days, keeping multiple sets of AA, AAA, and 9-volt batteries, along with rechargeable or lithium-ion options for higher-demand equipment. 

Storing them properly, cool, dry, and safely packaged, ensures they’re ready when you need them most, giving your home a reliable buffer against unexpected outages.

Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio to receive emergency alerts. Check battery life and replace as needed. 

Some hand-crank radios can charge phones. Place radios for best reception and test regularly.

Keep candles and matches in cool, dry places, away from sunlight and flammable items. Store matches in a protective container, and supervise candle use around children. Use sturdy holders to prevent tipping.

Cooking without electricity requires planning. You can safely use a gas stove with proper ventilation and by keeping flames away from flammable materials. 

Portable stoves, like propane or camping stoves, are efficient alternatives. Solar ovens work on sunny days but take longer. 

Stock no-cook foods such as canned beans, nut butter, and granola bars. For frozen items, use a cooler or cook over a grill.

A portable generator produces electricity using fuel, keeping essential appliances running during a power outage. 

Choose the size based on your home’s needs. Fuel options include gasoline (common, short-lived), propane (longer storage), and diesel (efficient for heavy use). 

Never use a generator indoors; place it at least 20 feet from windows or doors. With proper setup, it can power a refrigerator or freezer to protect food.

Place generators outside on a flat, dry surface with ventilation. Keep at least 20 feet from your home and away from doors or windows. 

Never run indoors or in a garage. Start according to the manufacturer’s instructions, use proper cords, and avoid overloading. Carbon monoxide detectors provide extra safety.

During a power outage, your electronics face more risks than just turning off, sudden surges can instantly overload circuits, fry delicate components, or slowly weaken them over time. 

Devices with sensitive microprocessors, like computers, smart TVs, gaming consoles, routers, and smart home gadgets, are especially vulnerable because they rely on steady, clean power. 

Even appliances with motors, such as refrigerators, freezers, HVAC systems, and washing machines, can overheat or burn out during low-voltage dips (brownouts), and they’re at further risk when power suddenly kicks back on with a surge. 

To avoid expensive damage, experts recommend a layered protection strategy: install a whole-house surge protector to stop major voltage spikes at the source, and use high-quality point-of-use surge protectors for your most valuable electronics. 

For essential equipment like computers or networking gear, a UPS provides battery backup so you can save your work and shut down safely. 

Pair this with good habits, unplug devices during severe storms, avoid overloaded outlets, and replace aging surge protectors, and you can significantly reduce the chances of costly electronic damage during an outage.

Before a power outage, fully charge essential devices, phone, laptop, tablet, and smart home devices. 

Charge portable power banks, and use multi-port chargers or USB hubs if you have several gadgets. 

Solar or car chargers are good backups. Conserve battery by dimming screens, closing unused apps, and avoiding unnecessary calls.

Keep backup power banks ready for outages. A power bank stores electricity and charges devices on the go. 

Choose one that can fully charge your devices at least once or twice. Store in a cool, dry place and charge regularly. Many power banks can charge multiple devices simultaneously.

Check for a manual override near the motor, such as a pull cord or lever. Use basic tools to access the mechanism and disengage the motor per manufacturer instructions. 

Lift the door with bent knees and controlled movements, ensuring the area is clear of obstacles and children. Practice periodically to operate safely during a blackout.

In winter, wear layers and use blankets. Portable gas heaters and fireplaces can provide warmth safely with proper ventilation and precautions. 

In summer, close blinds, drink water, and use battery-powered fans in small areas. Avoid strenuous activity, stay hydrated, and rest in shaded spaces.

Create a pet emergency plan with food, water, medications, leashes, and litter supplies. Keep kits accessible and plan safe indoor areas during outages. 

Pets with medical needs may require backup power or extra medication. Include pets in family evacuation plans if necessary.

When the power goes out, protecting your food supply becomes a top priority. Experts from USA food safety note that a refrigerator can keep food safe for up to 4 hours if you keep the door closed, while a full freezer can hold its temperature for up to 48 hours. 

Agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration emphasize maintaining temperatures at or below 40°F in the fridge and 0°F in the freezer to prevent bacterial growth. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also reminds us that perishable foods, especially meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and leftovers, are the quickest to spoil, and should be discarded once they exceed safe temperatures. 

To stretch your cold storage time, group freezer items tightly, use appliance thermometers, and transfer essentials to coolers packed with ice or frozen gel packs during longer outages. 

Preparing ahead by freezing water bottles and stocking non-perishables can make a major difference. And remember: never taste food to judge its safety, when in doubt, throw it out.

Freeze water bottles to keep food cold in fridges or coolers during outages. Place bottles around perishable items to maintain safe temperatures. 

They also serve as emergency drinking water and can replace ice packs for short-term power loss.

Identify areas needing light, such as hallways and bathrooms. Keep flashlights and lanterns accessible, and ensure everyone knows how to operate them. 

Consider rechargeable or battery-powered devices to reduce reliance on mains power.

Compile contacts for family, friends, neighbors, and professionals like utilities or medical providers. 

Keep the list both digitally and on paper, and ensure all household members know how to use it.

Sign up for real-time weather and utility alerts via apps, texts, or calls. Monitor live outage maps to prepare in advance. 

Multiple notification methods ensure timely updates to protect your home and family.

Operate generators outdoors, at least 20 feet from the house, with clear exhaust. Follow safety guidelines for solar panels or other alternatives. 

Proper setup keeps essential devices running while avoiding fire or carbon monoxide hazards.

Review your outage plan yearly or after major changes. Update contacts, supplies, and procedures based on past blackouts or neighborhood changes to ensure it meets your family’s current needs.