The 72-hour blackout plan: what to do hour by hour

The short answer

Most outages last a few hours, but it is wise to be ready for three days. The first hour is about safety and information. The first evening is about light, water, and warmth. Days two and three are about routine, food, and looking after each other. This plan walks you through each stage so you never have to guess.

The first hour: what to do the moment the lights go out

1. Stay calm and look around. Is the whole street dark, or only your home? Check your breaker panel. If a breaker has tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it and call an electrician.
2. Report the outage. Use your power company's phone line, text service, or outage map. Save that number in your phone now, before you need it.
3. Turn off and unplug. Ready.gov advises turning off or unplugging appliances and electronics to avoid damage from power surges when the power returns. Leave one lamp on so you will see when it comes back.
4. Keep the fridge and freezer closed. Every time you open the door, cold air escapes.
5. Get light. Use flashlights, headlamps, or a battery lantern. Avoid candles, which are a fire risk.

6. Turn on a radio. A battery or crank radio tells you how big the outage is and when to expect power back. See our weather radio guide.
7. Put phones on low power mode and dim the screens. Save battery for calls and texts. More ideas are in keep phones charged in a blackout.

The first evening

• Gather the family in one room so you can share warmth and keep an eye on children.
• Place lights where people walk: the hallway, bathroom, and stairs. Plug-in night lights that glow when the power fails are handy for this.

• Eat the food that will spoil first. Start with fresh items from the fridge, then the freezer, then pantry food. Details are in our food safety guide.
• Check your water. Plan on one gallon per person per day for drinking and hygiene.
• Charge what you can from a power bank, and keep one device for emergencies only.

• Prepare for the night. Add layers or blankets. Keep a flashlight within reach of every bed.

Day two

• Check the news once or twice at set times, rather than constantly. This saves batteries and worry.
• Keep a simple routine. Wake, eat, rest, and sleep at normal times. It helps children feel safe.
• Check your food. Ready.gov says a fridge keeps food cold for about 4 hours and a full freezer about 48 hours. Use a thermometer if you have one.
• Look after your health. Take medicines as normal. If you use refrigerated medicine or a powered medical device, follow the backup plan from your doctor. Ready.gov also says to ask your provider how long your medicines can safely stay warm.
• Check on neighbours, especially older people and anyone with a medical need.
• If the weather is extreme, go to a community location that has power. Ready.gov says to check with local officials for open heating or cooling locations.

Day three

• Review your supplies. Count water, food, batteries, and charge left in your power bank.
• Keep hygiene going. Wash hands, use wipes, and set up an emergency toilet if water has stopped.
• Decide whether to stay or go. If the outage looks long, think about staying with family or friends who have power, and tell someone where you are going.
• When power returns, wait a few minutes, then plug devices back in one at a time. Then throw out food that has been above 40°F for two hours or more. Ready.gov's rule is "When in doubt, throw it out."

Build your kit before you need it

Most of this plan depends on having a few simple things at hand: light, a radio, a power bank, water, and food. Our Blackout Kit gathers them in one place, and the family plan guide shows how to share jobs among everyone at home.

Next steps

• Read how much water to store and fill your containers this week.
• Learn how to keep your food safe.
• See the Blackout Kit for a ready-made list.
• Write down your family emergency plan.