Power grid down?
Keep the essentials working.

First hour: protect people, then preserve resources

Check your utility’s outage information and official local alerts. An outage is not proof of permanent grid failure. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, switch phones to low-power mode, and use flashlights instead of candles. Check on household members who need powered medical equipment, temperature control, or help moving.

Set a check-in time and a meeting place in case mobile service fails. Save important phone numbers and instructions offline. If a medical device has limited backup power, use the plan agreed with its supplier or care team; do not wait for the last battery warning to seek help. Build your communication plan.

First day and beyond: water, meals, sanitation, and a way out

Count stored drinking water before counting filters. A well pump may stop immediately, while municipal service can fail later. Follow local water advisories: an outage alone does not tell you whether tap water is safe. Use the household calculator to organize people, days, and supplies.

Start meals with foods your family already eats that need no cooking or refrigeration. A large dry-food supply also needs preparation water and sometimes cooking fuel. Keep a manual can opener available. Build a practical pantry.

With doors closed, an unpowered refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours; a full freezer about 48 hours, or 24 hours if half full. Use appliance thermometers and official discard guidance; never taste food to decide whether it is safe. FoodSafety.gov.

Plan handwashing, waste containment, pet care, and access to a working toilet. Follow local instructions if sewer or septic service is compromised. Identify somewhere else to stay if safe water, essential care, or tolerable indoor temperatures cannot be maintained. Supplies buy options; they are not a reason to stay in unsafe conditions.

Fuel planning: buy the cans before you need the fuel

For a gasoline generator, choose approved gasoline containers and a lawful storage location before filling them. Label and date the fuel, rotate it through appropriate equipment, and follow the generator maker’s fuel and stabilizer instructions. Stabilizer does not restore old gasoline. Keep a vehicle-fuel plan separate from your generator budget.

Store fuel outside living areas in a secure, suitable location away from heat, flames, sparks, children, and pets. Ask your local fire authority about quantity limits and placement; rental or building rules may be stricter. Never use drinking-water jugs or store gasoline in your home. Shut the generator off and let it cool before refueling. NFPA generator safety.

Use the correct fuel for your machine. Dual-fuel generators have different consumption and output on different fuels; the gasoline estimator below does not calculate propane needs. Maintain oil, service parts, and appropriately rated cords according to the manual. If safe storage cannot cover your plan, reduce nonessential loads, arrange resupply, use another suitable power source, or relocate.

What stopped working: the device, its power, or the service?

A dark screen or lost internet connection does not identify a failed component. Start with external checks on dry, undamaged equipment. Do not repeatedly power up a device with burning smells, scorching, unusual heat, water exposure, or a swollen battery.

iFixit device safety · Check backup-power sizing first.