Blackout Preparedness Checklist

Keep battery lanterns and flashlights where everyone can find them.

What matters

Keep battery lanterns and flashlights where everyone can find them.

Who this suits

Maintain charged power banks and a way to receive emergency information.

What to watch

Store drinking water and understand whether pumps depend on electricity.

Practical takeaway

Keep refrigerators and freezers closed and follow official food-safety guidance.

Bottom line

Plan safe heating or cooling and operate generators outdoors.

Lighting and communication

Put battery lanterns and flashlights where people can find them without using a phone light to search. Keep charged power banks, the right cables and a battery-powered way to receive local information. A blackout is much easier to manage when your phone is treated as a communications tool rather than an entertainment device.

Protect food before opening the fridge

FoodSafety.gov says an unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours. A full freezer can hold temperature for roughly 48 hours, or about 24 hours if half full. Opening the door repeatedly spends that cold reserve.

Generator safety is non-negotiable

CDC guidance says portable generators should be operated outdoors more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents. Never run one in a house or garage, even with doors open. Battery-powered or battery-backup carbon-monoxide alarms add another layer of protection.

Water and sanitation

If your home has a private well or powered building pumps, loss of electricity can also affect water. Store drinking water and know how toilets and sanitation will work if taps stop.

Temperature and medical needs

Extreme heat and cold can make staying home unsafe. Make a specific plan for refrigerated medicines, powered medical equipment and mobility devices rather than treating them as an afterthought.