What to do in a power outage

Last checked against the sources below: November 3, 2026. Written by Bloomsteader LLC. General information only.

The first few minutes

1. Check on people. Start with anyone who relies on a powered medical device or who can't get around easily.
2. Use safe light. Reach for flashlights and battery lanterns.
3. Close the fridge and freezer, and keep them closed.
4. Unplug appliances and electronics, so a surge doesn't damage them when the power returns.
5. Look outside. Stay well away from downed power lines and report them.
6. Watch for water advisories. An outage can affect water service. If you're told to boil water, see the boil-water guide.

How long food stays safe

Where	Doors kept closed
Refrigerator	About 4 hours
Full freezer	About 48 hours
Half-full freezer	About 24 hours

• Keep a thermometer in the fridge and freezer, so you can check the temperature rather than guess.
• Throw out refrigerated food that has been at 40°F or warmer for more than 4 hours, and anything with an unusual smell, color or texture. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Don't taste food to find out whether it's safe.
• You can refreeze or cook thawed frozen food if it still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below.
• Use a cooler with ice if the outage is running long.
• In cold weather, don't store food outside or in the snow.

Avoid carbon monoxide and fire

• Run generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and garages.
• Never use a gas stovetop, oven, grill or dryer to heat your home.
• Never leave a vehicle running inside a garage, even with the door open. If you use a vehicle for power or warmth, run it outside in a well-ventilated place.
• Don't use candles or a gas stove for heat. Use fireplaces, portable heaters and wood stoves only as designed, and keep portable heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn.
• Carbon monoxide has no smell. Its symptoms feel like the flu: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. People who are asleep can die before they notice any symptoms.

Use a generator safely

• Never plug a generator into a wall outlet to power the house. This is called backfeeding, and it can endanger utility workers, your neighbors and your household.
• Plug appliances directly into the generator, or use a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cord rated for the load.
• To connect a generator to home wiring, have an electrician install a transfer switch.
• Turn it off and let it cool before refueling. Spilled fuel can ignite on hot parts.
• Store fuel in an approved safety can, outside living areas and away from fuel-burning appliances.

Medicines and medical devices

• Ask your doctor now how you'd run powered devices and store medicine during an outage.
• If the power is out for a day or more, replace refrigerated medicine unless its label says otherwise.
• If you depend on a refrigerated medicine that has warmed up, call your doctor or pharmacist. Only use it until you have a new supply.

Staying warm or cool

• If it's cold: consider spending the coldest part of the day somewhere with heat, if it's safe to travel. See the winter storm guide.
• If it's hot: find air conditioning or shade, wet your skin, avoid hard activity, and wear light-colored, lightweight clothes.
• Check on family and neighbors if it's safe to do so.

Get ready before the next one

• Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms with battery backup on every level of your home and near sleeping areas.
• Gather supplies to last several days, with a flashlight for each person. Here's how much water and food to store.
• Write your communications plan on paper, and find out whether your phone will work in an outage.
• Keep phones charged and have another way to charge them.
• Keep plenty of fuel in the car before severe weather.
• If you own a generator, decide what matters most. It may not be able to run everything at once.

Sources

• Ready.gov: Power Outages
• FEMA: Be Prepared for a Power Outage (V-1008, December 2023), state-hosted copy
• CDC: Eat Safe Food after a Power Outage
• American Red Cross: Generator Safety
• CDC: About Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
• Michigan Prepares: Power Outages

These agencies don't endorse Ready Homestead. Local officials may give different instructions for your area: follow theirs.