Most outages are short. The ones that really hurt, after hurricanes, ice storms, heat waves or wildfire shutoffs, can last for days. A bit of preparation turns that from a crisis into an inconvenience. Go through this list once a year; fall is a good time.
Before: build your kit
Power
- Backup power sized for your essentials. List what you can’t do without and run it through the power station size calculator.
- Power stations charged to 80–100%, and topped up every three months.
- If you have a generator: fresh fuel with stabilizer, oil checked, a test run in the last three months, and heavy-duty outdoor extension cords.
- Battery banks for phones, at least 10,000 mAh per person.
- A car charger and inverter as a last resort. Only ever run the car outside.
Light
- An LED flashlight or headlamp for everyone.
- LED lanterns for the rooms you share.
- Spare batteries, with the dates checked.
- Avoid candles if you can. They’re one of the main causes of house fires during outages.
Food and water
- A gallon of water per person per day, for at least three days, and more if you’re on a well.
- Three days of food that doesn’t need cooking.
- A manual can opener.
- Thermometers in the fridge and freezer.
- Coolers and ice packs. Freeze water bottles before a storm arrives.
- A way to cook outside, like a camp stove or grill, with fuel. Never use it indoors.
Health and safety
- Seven days of prescription medication.
- A backup power plan for medical devices like a CPAP, oxygen or refrigerated insulin. See the CPAP power station guide.
- Battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms on every floor.
- Working smoke alarms.
- A first-aid kit.
- A fire extinguisher.
Staying in touch
- A battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio.
- A printed list of important phone numbers.
- Your utility’s outage map bookmarked and its outage number saved.
- Some cash. Card readers and ATMs go down with the grid.
Around the house
- Know where the breaker panel and main water shutoff are.
- Know how to open the garage door by hand.
- Surge protectors on expensive electronics.
- A sump pump backup if you have a basement, either a battery backup pump or a power station big enough for it.
During the outage
- Report it to your utility and check the outage map for an estimated restoration time.
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed. A closed fridge stays safe for about four hours, a full freezer for about 48.
- Unplug sensitive electronics so a surge can’t damage them when power returns. Leave one lamp switched on so you’ll know when it’s back.
- Spend your backup power on the fridge, communication and medical devices first. In a long outage, run the fridge in cycles.
- Generators stay outside, at least 20 feet from windows and doors.
- Dress for the weather. In winter, gather everyone in one room. In summer, drink plenty of water and find a cooling center if you need one.
After the power comes back
- Wait a few minutes before plugging electronics back in.
- Check the fridge and freezer temperatures. Throw out perishable food that sat above 40°F for more than two hours.
- Recharge power stations and battery banks straight away.
- Refill the generator’s fuel and add stabilizer.
- Write down what you were missing and add it to the kit.
How much backup power do you need?
| Household need | Suggested backup |
|---|---|
| Phones, router, lights | 300–500 Wh power station |
| + CPAP or medical device | 500–1,000 Wh |
| + refrigerator for a day | 2,000 Wh+ |
| + sump or well pump, multi-day | 3,600 Wh+ expandable, solar, or a generator |
Not sure which fits? Power station vs. generator walks through the trade-offs.