Power outage at home: safety and food¶

Most power outages end within hours, but some last days. This page helps you stay safe, keep your food safe, and know when to ask for help.

Do this now¶

1. Check whether your neighbors have power, to learn if the problem is just your home.
2. Turn off or unplug sensitive electronics and appliances, and leave one light on so you notice when power returns.
3. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
4. Use flashlights, not candles.
5. If anyone depends on a medical device, follow your backup plan now and call your local emergency number (911 in the United States and Canada, 112 across the European Union, 999 in the United Kingdom) if there is danger.
6. Report the outage to your utility.

Report the outage¶

Call or text your power utility, or use its website or app, to report the outage. Many utilities show outage maps and estimated restoration times. If you see a downed power line, stay far away and call the utility and your local emergency number.

Utilities usually restore hospitals and emergency services first. Expect to wait longer if the outage is widespread.

... danger "Downed lines" Treat every fallen line as live. Stay at least 10 meters (33 feet) away, keep others back, and do not touch anything that is in contact with it.

Food safety¶

The US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration give these guidelines:

After 4 hours without power, throw away perishable food in the fridge, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and leftovers. Keep a thermometer in the fridge and freezer. Food is safe if the fridge stays at or below 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit).

Frozen food that still has ice crystals or is at or below 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) can usually be cooked or refrozen. When in doubt, throw it out.

Group food together in the freezer, and use ice or frozen gel packs in a cooler for items you will need soon. Label food with the time the power went out so you can track the hours. Rules and advice differ by country, so check local food safety agencies.

Medical devices¶

If someone uses an oxygen concentrator, a ventilator, a powered bed, or other equipment, make a backup plan ahead of time. Ask the supplier about batteries and backup oxygen, and tell your utility that you rely on power. Some utilities keep a list of customers who need priority.

If a device stops and you cannot restart it, go to a hospital or call your local emergency number. Keep medicine that needs cooling in the fridge, and keep a cooler with ice for it if the outage goes on. Check the label or ask a pharmacist how long it keeps.

Generators: outdoors only¶

Portable generators produce carbon monoxide, which can kill. Run them outdoors only, at least 6 meters (20 feet) from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows and doors. Never use one in a garage, basement, or shed.

Do not plug a generator into a wall outlet. This can send power back into the grid and harm repair crews. Use heavy duty extension cords, or have an electrician install a transfer switch.

Install a battery powered CO alarm. Read our carbon monoxide guide for symptoms and what to do.

Staying warm¶

• Dress in layers and wear a hat, including indoors.
• Close off rooms you do not need, and stay in one room.
• Cover windows with blankets and put towels at door gaps.
• Eat and drink regularly to produce body heat.
• Never use a gas oven, grill, camp stove, or charcoal for heat indoors.

If your home gets too cold, go to a warm place such as a shelter, a friend, or a community center. Babies, older adults, and people with health problems cool down faster.

Staying cool¶

• Wear light clothing, and drink water often.
• Close curtains in the sun, and stay on the lowest floor.
• Use damp cloths on your skin.
• Go to an air conditioned place such as a library or cooling center if you can.

Heat stroke is an emergency. Hot skin, confusion, and fainting need an immediate call to your local emergency number.

Lights and phones¶

Use flashlights or battery lanterns. Candles are a fire risk, and if you must use one, keep it in a stable holder, away from anything that burns, and never leave it unattended.

Save your phone battery by turning on low power mode and sending texts rather than calling. A power bank is a good thing to keep charged. See emergency kit for items to keep ready.

When the power comes back¶

Wait a few minutes, then turn appliances back on one at a time to avoid a surge. Check food using the guidelines above. Reset clocks, and check that smoke and CO alarms still work.

For storms, see hurricane.guide for outage guidance after a hurricane.

Related guides¶

• Carbon monoxide
• Burst pipe
• Gas leak
• Emergency kit
• Family emergency plan