Before the lights go out
Power outages can turn dangerous quickly, depending on how long they last and the temperature outside, and experts told the Associated Press that readiness is a key factor in getting through a blackout safely. Michael Coe, vice president for physical and cybersecurity programs with the American Public Power Association, said preparedness follows the old proverb, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Denise Everhart, a disaster executive with the American Red Cross, said preparedness depends on household needs, including whether someone has kids, pets or medical devices that require consistent power. Coe said customers should inform their utility if they have critical medical devices that rely on electricity, noting that many providers post forms on their websites for customers to disclose medical needs during outages, and that customers can also call. Coe also said there are ways to provide backup batteries or other types of energy so customers are not affected if power is shut off.
Everhart said sometimes the best move is to evacuate if an outage would make things unsafe. For those who plan to stay, she urged people to break out an emergency kit ahead of time, ideally stocked with two weeks of food, water, pet supplies and medicine, cash for a week in case ATMs and credit card machines go down, and items like flashlights, glow sticks or battery lanterns.
Emergency kits and the problem of food
The emergency kit list in the guidance also includes backup phone batteries and charger cords, blankets in cold weather or extra water in hot weather, and phone numbers for friends and family written down in case a phone dies. It also recommends a solar-powered or hand-crank radio to receive emergency alerts if cell towers stop working.
On food, the guidance cautioned against assuming every option will work for every household, saying the trick is finding something nutritional, edible and palatable. It suggested peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and canned food as staples, and Everhart used a pointed example when she asked, “Is your 6-year-old really going to eat a cold can of chili?”
The advice also emphasized that blackout conditions vary by home and infrastructure. For some households, the loss of electricity can affect things like heating and water access, and the guidance pointed to that difference when describing how gas heat can keep some routines going while electric heat and well water can create additional complications.
Water, alerts, and what to do when it gets dark
Matthew Gonzales, executive director for the Consumer Energy Alliance Southwest Region, recommended filling the tub or a bucket with water before the power goes out so households can keep filling the tank and flushing the toilet. Coe also stressed communications planning, saying it is important to sign up for emergency alerts from utilities, local police and other EMS facilities so people know immediately about boil water notices, evacuation orders or other important messages.
Once the power is out, Coe advised keeping the fridge closed so food stays cold longer, saying food can last up to four hours in a refrigerator and up to 48 hours in a freezer, but those numbers go down if the door keeps opening. The guidance said to eat perishable food first, and suggested that if outdoor temperatures are about 37 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius), moving food outdoors can help it last longer, though it is not foolproof because temperature can fluctuate.
The guidance added that households should not eat food that smells, looks or tastes funny. It also advised checking whether water is safe to use before relying on it during an outage, citing that the Red Cross emergency app lists government alerts like boil water notices when the supply gets contaminated.
Staying warm and avoiding common hazards
The guidance offered multiple options for warmth during outages, including use of fireplaces and furnaces where available, and it referenced hand warmers, heated jackets, battery-powered heated blankets and portable propane space heaters as ways to make short, cold outages more comfortable. It also noted that the tanks that fuel some space heaters can fuel small gas camping stoves.
Everhart cautioned on fire and carbon monoxide risks, saying people should not leave a space heater or candles unattended because that can cause a house fire, and should not bring a generator inside because it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. If conditions are too hot or too cold to stay safe with what’s available, the guidance said it is time to leave.
Before leaving, Gonzales said households should check on neighbors if they are able to.
Planning for the next outage
For the next power outage, the guidance said the best time to plan is before there is an imminent threat. It recommended working out how to open a garage door when the power’s out, establishing a place to keep keys and paperwork in one place for quick evacuation, and coming up with a backup evacuation route. It also advised thinking about public transportation emergency routes and agreeing on ways to contact or meet up with family or friends if internet or phones stop working.
On power backup, the guidance said people can save up for a larger generator, noting that portable options supplying 5,000 to 10,000 watts can power small appliances like a microwave, refrigerator or space heater and keep phones charged, and it referenced costs of $500 to $1,000 for those options. It also pointed to solar battery storage and reverse electric vehicle charging as options that can help keep power on when the rest of the grid goes down.
For most outages, Everhart said preparedness is “not that complicated,” adding, “Have a kit, have a plan, have a way to get notified, and a way to notify people. That’s really preparedness in a nutshell,” when discussing what she considers the core of staying safe.