Prepare / Power outage
How do you prepare for a power outage?
Most outages end in hours. The ones worth preparing for do not.
When the grid stays down, refrigeration, heating, pumped water, and card payments all stop together.
This guide covers the first hour, what to stock, and the skills that keep a household comfortable in the dark.
The water purification and safety guidance on this page is aligned with ready.gov, CDC, and EPA recommendations. ready.gov: power outages · CDC: making water safe
The first hour
- Fill bathtubs and every clean container with water immediately. Water pumps stop with the grid, so pressure may not last.
- Plan your food order now: eat refrigerated food first, then the freezer, then your shelf-stable stores.
- Keep the freezer closed. A full, unopened freezer holds safe temperatures for about 48 hours.
- Switch to headlamps and lanterns so your hands stay free. If you must use candles, never leave them unattended.
- Never run a generator, grill, or fuel stove indoors. Carbon monoxide is invisible and it kills.
- Charge phones and lights from a power bank, and use daylight hours for any solar charging.
What to stock
| Item | Per person, per day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water (drinking and hygiene) | 1 gallon (about 4 liters) | The ready.gov standard including hygiene. Survive//Protocol plans a 3 liter (about 0.8 gal) drinking minimum and raises it in hot climates. Rotate stored water every 6 to 12 months. |
| White rice | 7 oz (200 g) | Keeps 25+ years sealed, dry, and cool. |
| Dried beans and lentils | 3.5 oz (100 g) | Keeps 10+ years sealed. |
| Rolled oats | 2.8 oz (80 g) | Keeps 2 years, longer sealed. |
| Pasta | 3.5 oz (100 g) | Keeps 2 to 3 years. |
| Canned protein (fish or meat) | 5.3 oz (150 g) | Keeps 2 to 5 years. |
| Canned vegetables | 4.2 oz (120 g) | Keeps 2 to 5 years. |
| Cooking oil | 1 fl oz (30 ml) | Keeps 1 to 2 years. |
| Salt | 0.35 oz (10 g) | Keeps indefinitely. |
| Sugar or honey | 0.7 oz (20 g) | Honey keeps indefinitely. |
| Powdered milk | 1 oz (30 g) | Keeps 2 to 10 years sealed. |
| Multivitamins | 1 tablet | Keeps about 2 years. |
| Ready-to-eat canned meals | 14 oz (400 g) | One-pot and no-cook meals save cooking fuel. Keep 2 to 5 years. |
Amounts are per person, per day. Multiply by your household size and the number of days you want to cover. Survive//Protocol does this math for you, from 1 week to 1 year.
Skills to learn now
- Make water safe: bring it to a rolling boil for 1 full minute (3 minutes above 6,500 ft / 2,000 m). No fire? Add 8 drops of plain unscented household bleach (5 to 6%) per gallon (2 drops per liter), stir, and wait 30 minutes.
- Cook without the kitchen: a camp stove used outside or with real ventilation, and one-pot canned meals that need little fuel.
- Heat one small room instead of the whole home. Layer clothing, use warm bedding, block drafts, and cover windows at night.
- In heat: stay in the shade and the lowest, coolest part of the home, drink more water, and add electrolytes.
- Practice with your stove, filter, and radio on a calm afternoon, not in the dark.
If you have kids, elderly, or pets
- Children and elderly family members: add comfort items, extra warmth, and familiar routines, and increase your water and medication buffers.
- Pets: store a week or more of food per animal, any pet medication, and pack a leash or carrier with your emergency kit.
- Infants: over-stock formula, bottles, diapers, and wipes. These vanish from shelves first.
- Limited mobility: choose low-impact preparations, store spare parts for any aids, and plan an accessible exit.
Common mistakes
- Running a generator or grill indoors or in a garage. This is the deadly one.
- Opening the fridge and freezer to check on things. Every opening costs you cold.
- Waiting to fill water containers until the taps have already lost pressure.
- Relying on candles as the main light source and leaving them burning unattended.
- Storing all food somewhere warm or damp. Heat and moisture are what ruin stores and rust cans.
FAQ
How much water do I need per person per day?
Plan on 1 gallon (about 4 liters) per person per day, the ready.gov standard that includes hygiene. As a drinking-focused minimum, Survive//Protocol plans 3 liters (about 0.8 gal) and raises it in hot climates.
How long does food last in the freezer without power?
A full, unopened freezer holds safe temperatures for about 48 hours. Group items together, keep the door shut, and eat refrigerated food first.
How do I make water safe to drink?
Boil it for 1 full minute (3 minutes above 6,500 ft / 2,000 m). Without fire, add 8 drops of plain unscented 5 to 6% household bleach per gallon (2 drops per liter), stir, and wait 30 minutes. It should smell faintly of chlorine.
Do I need a generator?
Not necessarily. A power bank and a small solar panel keep lights and phones alive, and headlamps and lanterns cover light. If you do run a generator, never run it indoors: carbon monoxide is invisible and deadly.
What should I cook on when the power is out?
A camp stove, used outdoors or with real ventilation, plus one-pot and no-cook canned meals to stretch your fuel.
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