Power Outage: Your First 24 Hours at Home

Hour 0–1: stabilize

• Unplug sensitive electronics to protect against surges when power returns.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. USDA notes a closed fridge keeps food safe about 4 hours; a full freezer about 48 hours if unopened.
• Switch phones to low-power mode; text one out-of-area contact: “Power out, all OK, will update at [time].”
• Use flashlights, not candles, as the default light source (fire risk).

Hour 1–6: conserve and monitor

• Eat perishables in fridge order if outage may exceed four hours — cook on camp stove outdoors only if you use one.
• If using a generator, CDC requires outdoor placement far from windows — carbon monoxide kills silently indoors.
• Check on neighbors if it is safe to do so; share official utility outage map link if you have cell data on a charged device.

Hour 6–24: heat, meds, and decisions

• In cold weather, dress in layers and gather in one interior room. Ready.gov advises never using an oven to heat a home.
• If anyone depends on powered medical equipment, contact utility medical priority programs before storm season if possible; during outage, use backup plan or relocate early.
• If outage exceeds 24 hours and indoor temperature is unsafe, move to a friend, hotel, or public warming/cooling center per local guidance.

Verifiable element

One tabletop drill (April 2026 example): phones at 78% at hour 0, one text sent, fridge unopened for 5 hours, interior room temp dropped from 68°F to 61°F over 8 hours with doors closed. The drill identified a missing USB-C light and an expired power bank — two $40 fixes. Your home will differ; the drill exposes gaps cheaply.

Key takeaways

• Fridge discipline is the biggest food-safety lever in hour one.
• Generators outdoors only — no exceptions.
• Medical power needs decide early whether you stay or relocate.
• A 30-minute tabletop drill beats buying gear you never test.