Power Out Now

1. 1. Check safety first

   Check everyone in your household. If you smell gas, see fire, hear a carbon monoxide alarm, or face another immediate danger, get to safety and call emergency services from a safe place. Follow official evacuation instructions. Stay away from fallen power lines.

2. 2. Protect essential care

   Put your medical-device and medicine-storage plan into action. If essential treatment cannot continue safely, contact your care provider or seek an appropriate location with power. Check indoor temperatures and anyone especially vulnerable to heat or cold.

3. 3. Keep food cold

   Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. An unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours; a full freezer for about 48 hours, or 24 hours when half-full. Keep refrigerated food at 40°F (4°C) or below. Discard perishable food that has been above 40°F for two hours or more. Perishable food left out in temperatures above 90°F (32°C) should be discarded after one hour. If you cannot establish that food stayed safe, throw it out. Never taste food to test it.

4. 4. Use light and equipment safely

   Use flashlights or headlamps. Never use outdoor camp stoves or charcoal grills indoors. Run portable generators only in a suitable outdoor location, at least 20 feet from homes and openings. An open garage door is not sufficient. Use working carbon monoxide alarms installed according to their instructions. Never feed generator power into a household wall outlet; a qualified electrician must arrange any connection to household wiring.

5. 5. Check water and toilets

   Use your stored safe water. Follow local drinking-water and sewer instructions. Do not assume boiling or a filter makes chemically contaminated water safe.

6. 6. Get information and settle into a routine

   Check official local alerts and utility updates. Contact household members and neighbors who may need help. Conserve phone power, assign essential tasks, and review your plan as conditions change.

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