Power Outage Preparation Checklist: What to Do Before, During and After

Most power outages are short. But when one stretches past a few hours — after a storm, heatwave or grid failure — the households that cope best are the ones that prepared on a calm day. This checklist pulls together official guidance from Ready.gov, FoodSafety.gov and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), plus practical backup-power steps.

Free printable: get the one-page Power Outage Preparation Checklist (PDF) or view the printable checklist page. Stick it on the fridge or inside a cupboard door.

Everything in bold quotes below comes from the linked official sources. Anything else is labelled as general guidance.

Before an outage: prepare on a calm day

1. List everything that needs electricity

Ready.gov’s first recommendation is to “take an inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity” and plan batteries or alternative power for them. Walk room by room and write down:

• Lights and phone charging
• Internet router and modem
• Fridge and freezer
• Heating or cooling (furnace blower, fans, a window unit)
• Water: well pump, sump pump
• Medical devices (CPAP, oxygen concentrator, powered wheelchair) and refrigerated medicines
• Garage door opener (learn the manual release)
• Anything your work or children depend on

This list decides everything else, including whether you need a power bank, a portable power station, a transfer switch or a generator. For every option side by side, see home backup power options compared. If you’re weighing the bigger options, see home battery backup vs generator: real costs.

2. Light and communication

• Flashlights for every household member, as Ready.gov advises, plus spare batteries. LED lanterns and headlamps are safer than candles.
• Charged power banks for every phone.
• A battery or hand-crank radio for emergency broadcasts.
• Check whether your home phone will work in an outage and how long any battery backup lasts (Ready.gov).
• Write key phone numbers on paper: family, doctor, utility outage line, insurer.
• Sign up for your utility’s outage alerts and bookmark its outage map.

3. Medical needs

Ready.gov advises talking to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines, and finding out how long medication can be stored at higher temperatures.

General guidance:

• Ask your utility whether it has a medical-priority or vulnerable-customer register, and join it if eligible.
• Test medical devices on your backup power source before you need it. Our guide to backup power for apartments and renters covers CPAP tips.

4. Food and water

• Keep enough non-perishable food and water (Ready.gov).
• Put appliance thermometers in your fridge and freezer — FoodSafety.gov’s guidance is based on whether food has been above 40°F (4°C).
• Freeze containers of water to fill empty freezer space and use as ice packs (general guidance — a fuller freezer holds temperature longer, see below).
• Have a cooler you can fill with ice.

5. Carbon monoxide and fire safety

• Ready.gov recommends carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level of your home. Test them and replace batteries.
• Check smoke alarms.
• Keep a fire extinguisher where you can reach it.

6. Backup power (choose what fits)

General guidance, from smallest to largest:

Option	Good for	Notes
Power banks	Phones, small devices	Cheap; keep charged
Portable power station	Lights, router, CPAP, fridge for hours	No exhaust; safe indoors
Power station + transfer switch	Selected home circuits	Needs a licensed electrician — see how to connect a power station safely
Portable generator	Lots of power for less money	Outdoors only, 20+ feet from the house
Standby generator or home battery	Whole-home or essential circuits, automatic	Professional install

If you plan to connect anything to your home wiring, read interlock kit vs transfer switch first.

7. Home and car

• Learn how to manually open your garage door.
• Keep your car’s fuel tank reasonably full — gas stations may close when the power is out (Ready.gov notes outages can close gas stations, ATMs, banks and other services).
• Keep some cash at home for the same reason.
• If you have a sump pump, plan a backup (battery backup pump, power station or generator).

During an outage

Keep fridge and freezer doors closed

This is the single most useful food-safety step. FoodSafety.gov (citing USDA) says:

• “Your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage.”
• “A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed).”

Use coolers with ice if the outage looks long, and monitor temperatures with a thermometer.

Protect electronics

Ready.gov advises you to turn off or disconnect appliances, equipment or electronics, because power may return with momentary surges or spikes that can cause damage. Leave one lamp switched on so you know when power returns (general guidance).

Stay warm or cool safely

• Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home — Ready.gov warns it increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.
• Go to a community location with power if heat or cold is extreme, and check with local officials about heating and cooling centres (Ready.gov).

Generator safety, without exception

From Ready.gov and the CPSC:

• Use generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages.
• Never run one in a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or shed — even with doors and windows open (CPSC).
• Keep the generator dry and let it cool before refueling (Ready.gov).
• Never backfeed by plugging a generator into a wall outlet — the CPSC says it “presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors.”

Stretch your battery backup

General guidance:

• Prioritise: medical devices → fridge (in intervals if needed) → communication → lights → comfort.
• Use DC/USB outputs where possible; they avoid inverter losses.
• Recharge from solar or a car (car outdoors only) during daylight.

After the outage

Food

• “When in doubt, throw it out!” — Ready.gov. Discard food exposed to 40°F or higher for two hours or more, or with an unusual odor, color or texture.
• Discard refrigerated perishables such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers after 4 hours without power (FoodSafety.gov).
• Frozen food that still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F (4°C) or below can be refrozen, though quality may suffer (FoodSafety.gov).
• Never taste food to determine its safety (FoodSafety.gov).

Medicines

Ready.gov: if the power is out for more than a day, discard any medication that should be refrigerated, unless the drug’s label says otherwise, and consult your doctor or pharmacist for a new supply.

Reset and restock

• Plug appliances back in gradually.
• Recharge every power bank and your power station.
• Replace used batteries, fuel and food.
• Write down what you wished you’d had — and add it to your kit.

Make it a habit

General guidance: review this checklist twice a year — before summer storm season and before winter. Test alarms, recharge batteries, rotate stored water and food, and run your backup power system with real loads for an hour.

Download the printable checklist (PDF) and keep a copy where everyone in your home can find it in the dark.

General information only, not professional advice. Follow official guidance from your local emergency management agency and utility.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first to prepare for a power outage?

Start with an inventory of everything in your home that relies on electricity, as Ready.gov recommends, then plan batteries or other power sources for the essentials: lights, phone charging, medical devices and refrigerated medicines.

How long will food stay safe in the fridge without power?

According to FoodSafety.gov and the USDA, a refrigerator keeps food safe for up to 4 hours if the door stays closed. A full freezer holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours, or about 24 hours if half full.

Is it safe to use a gas stove to heat my home during an outage?

No. Ready.gov warns never to use a gas stove or oven to heat your home because it increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.

How far from the house should a generator be?

Ready.gov and the CPSC advise running generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, and installing battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms.

Should I unplug appliances during a power outage?

Ready.gov recommends turning off or disconnecting appliances and electronics, because power may return with momentary surges or spikes that can cause damage. Leave one light on so you know when power is back.