Preparing for a power outage (before one starts)

When's the Power Back? editorial · reviewed 2026-07-08 · sources linked inline and listed below

The core kit

From Ready.gov and Red Cross checklists: flashlights + batteries (not candles), charged power banks for phones, water (a gallon per person per day if your water depends on electric pumps), non-perishable food for a few days, a battery or hand-crank radio, and cash (card readers die with the power).

Medication and the cold chain

If anyone in the home uses refrigerated medication (insulin is the common one), know its out-of-fridge tolerance ahead of time from your pharmacist, and have a cooler plan. For powered medical equipment, see our medical-device backup guide.

Freeze water now, thank yourself later

Frozen water bottles or gel packs stretch fridge and freezer windows during an outage (the USDA windows: ~4 hours fridge / 24–48 freezer) and become drinking water as they melt.

Know your outage tools before you need them

Bookmark your utility's outage map and reporting number now — and your address's page on our tracker, which adds an independent restoration estimate and free alerts. During a real event, enable notifications so restoration news finds you.

Surge protection on the return

When power returns after a big outage it can return dirty. Unplug sensitive electronics during the outage; leave one lamp on so you notice restoration.

Sources

During an actual outage: check your address on the live map — current counts for your area, the utility's posted restoration time, and an independent estimate with a public accuracy record. Free alerts when your power's back.