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Power outage

What to Do When the Power Goes Out: A Family Checklist

What to do in the first hour, how to get through the first night, when to leave on day two, and the printable list to get ready before it happens.

By Quiet Protector Safety TeamUpdated Nov 12, 20266 min read Checked against Ready.gov and American Red Cross guidance
What to do when the power goes out: a family lighting the hallway with a headlamp and flashlights
The short answer

First hour: check if it is just your home, switch to flashlights (not candles), unplug electronics and keep the fridge and freezer closed. First night: keep one phone charged, follow local news on a battery or crank radio, and keep everyone in one room. Always: generators, grills and camp stoves stay outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, and never use a gas stove to heat your home. If it gets too hot or too cold, or someone depends on powered medical devices, go to a place with power.

Most power outages last a few hours. Some, after a big storm, last days. The families who handle it well are the ones who know what to do in the first hour, before the phones die and the fridge warms up.

This plan follows ready.gov and American Red Cross guidance, split into the moments you will actually live through: the first hour, the first night and day two.

In this guide
  1. What to do in the first hour
  2. How do you keep your phone charged and get news?
  3. How to get through the first night
  4. Day two and beyond: stay or go?
  5. Safety rules that never change
  6. Your printable power outage checklist
Key takeaways
  • Flashlights, not candles. Ready.gov advises a flashlight for every person in the house.
  • Fridge closed: about 4 hours of safe food in the fridge, about 48 in a full freezer.
  • Fuel-burning devices stay outside, at least 20 feet from windows. Never a gas stove for heat.
  • Stay at least 35 feet from fallen power lines and call 911.

What to do in the first hour

Do these four things right away, in this order:

  1. Power outage step 1: checking whether the neighbors' houses are dark tooStep01

    Check if it is just your home

    Look out the window: are the neighbors dark too? If only your home is out, check your breaker panel. If a breaker has tripped and you do not know why, the Red Cross advises having an electrician inspect it before you turn it back on. Then check your utility's outage line or map.

  2. Power outage step 2: switching to flashlights and a headlamp instead of candlesStep02

    Switch to flashlights, not candles

    Candles are a fire risk in a dark house full of blankets. Use flashlights or headlamps, one for each person, so nobody walks around in the dark.

  3. Power outage step 3: unplugging the TV and electronics to protect them from a power surgeStep03

    Unplug electronics

    Unplug the TV, computer and other appliances, so a power surge does not damage them when the power returns. Leave one lamp switched on so you know when it is back.

  4. Power outage step 4: keeping the fridge and freezer closedStep04

    Keep the fridge and freezer closed

    A closed fridge keeps food cold for about 4 hours, a full freezer about 48. Tell the kids. See how long food lasts in the fridge without power.

How do you keep your phone charged and get news?

Keeping a phone charged in a power outage: a hand crank emergency radio charging a phone

When the power is out, cell service and internet can go down too. Plan for both:

  • Save the battery: lower the screen brightness, close apps and turn on low power mode. Keep one phone for calls only.
  • Charge without the wall: a charged power bank, a solar charger or a car charger with the engine running outside, never in a closed garage.
  • Get the news without internet: the Red Cross advises a crank or battery radio. Local stations tell you how long the outage may last and where warming or cooling centers are open.
  • Check in: text your family and neighbors to say you are OK, and ask if they need help.
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How to get through the first night

First night of a power outage: a family together in one room around a battery lantern

As the evening comes, think about three things: temperature, medicine and safety.

If it is cold

Move everyone into one small room, close the doors to the rest of the house and put towels under the doors. Dress in layers with hats and socks. Our room-by-room plan is in how to stay warm without power.

If it is hot

Stay on the lowest floor, close the blinds on the sunny side and drink water often. If the house gets too hot, go to a place with air conditioning.

If someone depends on power

If anyone uses a powered medical device or medicine that must stay cold, call your doctor or medical device provider now, while your phone still works, and decide where you will go. Ready.gov advises that if the power is out for more than a day, you discard refrigerated medicine unless the label says otherwise.

Never do this

Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home, and never use a grill, camp stove or generator indoors. They make carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.

Day two and beyond: stay or go?

If the power is still out the next day, it is time to look at the bigger picture.

  • Sort the food: throw out anything that has been at 40°F or above for 2 hours or more. When in doubt, throw it out.
  • Check on others: call older neighbors and anyone who lives alone.
  • Find help nearby: communities often open warming or cooling centers and charging stations. Local radio and officials will say where.
  • Decide to stay or go: the Red Cross advises leaving if your home is too hot or too cold, or if someone has medical devices that need power.
Quiet Protector tip

Keep your car's gas tank at least half full during storm season, as the Red Cross advises. If you need to leave on day two, you will not be looking for an open gas station with the pumps down.

Safety rules that never change

Generator safety in a power outage: never in the garage, only outside far from the house
  • Generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills: outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages. Keep generators dry, let them cool before refueling, and connect appliances with heavy-duty extension cords.
  • Carbon monoxide alarms with battery backup on every level of the home. Test them before an outage. See where to put a CO detector.
  • Fallen power lines: stay at least 35 feet away from them and from anything they touch, and call 911.
  • Floods: do not walk into flooded areas or use electrical equipment that may have been under water.
  • Gas: turn off utilities only if you suspect damage or officials tell you to. Only a qualified professional can turn the gas back on.

Your printable power outage checklist

Power outage kit checklist: flashlights, batteries, crank radio, first aid kit, water, canned food, power bank

Get these ready before the next storm. Print this list and check it off.

Power outage checklist

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first when the power goes out?

Check if the outage is only your home, switch to flashlights, unplug electronics and keep the fridge and freezer closed.

Should I unplug things when the power goes out?

Yes. Unplug appliances and electronics so a surge does not damage them when the power comes back, and leave one light on so you know when it returns.

How do I charge my phone without power?

With a charged power bank, a solar charger or a hand crank radio with a USB port. Lower the brightness and close apps to make the battery last.

How long will food in my fridge last?

About 4 hours with the door closed. A full freezer lasts about 48 hours, a half-full one about 24.

Is it safe to use candles during an outage?

The Red Cross advises flashlights, not candles. Candles add a fire risk to a dark house.

When should we leave the house?

If the home gets too hot or too cold, or someone depends on medical devices that need power. Communities often open warming or cooling centers.

The bottom line
  1. First hour: flashlights, unplug electronics, fridge closed.
  2. First night: one warm (or cool) room, one charged phone, a radio for news.
  3. Generators, grills and camp stoves outside, 20 feet from windows. Never a gas stove for heat.
  4. Day two: sort the food, check on neighbors, leave if it gets too hot or too cold.
The Blackout & Winter Kit
One box for the next outage

The Blackout & Winter Kit

Heat, power, light and news for when the grid goes down: emergency sleeping bags, a pocket hand warmer, a solar power bank and a hand crank radio.

See the kit
Sources
  1. Ready.gov: Power outages
  2. American Red Cross: Power outage safety
  3. Ready.gov: Winter weather
  4. CDC: Keep food safe after a disaster or emergency

More guides for your family

What Is a NOAA Weather Radio, and Do You Need One?What to Keep in Your Car for Emergencies: A Printable Checklist by SeasonStuck in Your Car in Snow: How to Stay Safe and Warm Until Help Comes
Quiet Protector team
Quiet Protector Safety Team
We write plain-English safety guides for families, checked against the official sources listed above. Trusted by 60,000+ families.