What to do when the power goes out
When the power goes out, reach for a flashlight rather than candles, check whether the neighbors are dark too, and report the outage to your utility. Keep the fridge and freezer closed: a closed fridge stays cold about four hours, a full freezer about two days. Unplug electronics so a surge does not hit them when power returns, and never run a generator or grill indoors.
Why it matters: An outage alone in the dark is far calmer with a flashlight in a known drawer and a plan for the fridge.
Steps
- Keep a flashlight and spare batteries in one known drawer, and a charged power bank.
- When the lights go, check whether neighbors are dark too, then check your breaker panel if only your home is out.
- Report the outage to your utility and check its outage map for updates.
- Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut as much as you can.
- Unplug computers and other electronics, leaving one lamp switched on so you know when power returns.
- Never run a generator, grill or camp stove indoors, in a garage or near a window.
- When power returns, throw out fridge food that sat above 40 degrees for more than two hours.
Stop and call a professional if
- you see a downed power line: stay far away, keep others back and call 911 and the utility
- you rely on powered medical equipment: tell your utility in advance and have a backup plan with your doctor
- the carbon monoxide alarm sounds or anyone feels dizzy or sick: get outside and call 911
Common mistakes
- Lighting candles and leaving them unattended.
- Opening the freezer to check on things.
- Running a generator in a garage with the door open.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: What to do when the power goes out
What to say
When the power goes out, reach for a flashlight rather than candles, check whether the neighbors are dark too, and report the outage to your utility. Keep the fridge and freezer closed: a closed fridge stays cold about four hours, a full freezer about two days. Unplug electronics so a surge does not hit them when power returns, and never run a generator or grill indoors.
What to show
- Keep a flashlight and spare batteries in one known drawer, and a charged power bank.
- When the lights go, check whether neighbors are dark too, then check your breaker panel if only your home is out.
- Report the outage to your utility and check its outage map for updates.
- Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut as much as you can.
- Unplug computers and other electronics, leaving one lamp switched on so you know when power returns.
- Never run a generator, grill or camp stove indoors, in a garage or near a window.
- When power returns, throw out fridge food that sat above 40 degrees for more than two hours.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if you see a downed power line: stay far away, keep others back and call 911 and the utility.
Check question
How long does a closed fridge usually keep food cold without power?
Answer: About four hours. A full freezer lasts longer, about two days, if kept shut.
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Related skills
Sources
- US federal food safety guidance for power outages, 2025. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
- US home emergency preparedness guidance, 2025. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .