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Power Outage Safety Checklist

The power's out. Don't improvise — run the checklist.

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First 30 minutes

Check whether it's just your house (breaker panel) or the neighborhood (look outside). Report the outage to SMECO. Unplug or switch off major electronics and appliances — when power returns, the surge can damage them. Leave one light switched on so you know when power's back. Keep the fridge and freezer closed — every opening lets cold out.

Food safety

A closed fridge keeps food safe for about 4 hours; a full closed freezer keeps food frozen for about 48 hours (24 if half full). When in doubt, throw it out — food poisoning isn't worth the groceries. A food thermometer is the arbiter: anything perishable above 40°F for more than 2 hours goes.

Generator safety (the big one)

Never run a portable generator indoors, in a garage, or near windows — carbon monoxide is odorless and kills fast. Keep portables at least 20 feet from the house with exhaust pointed away. Never backfeed: don't plug a generator into a wall outlet ("the suicide cord") to power your house — it energizes utility lines and endangers lineworkers. Use a transfer switch or run extension cords directly to appliances. Let a standby generator do its thing — don't touch it during the outage unless the controller shows a fault.

Heat and cold

Summer outage: close blinds, avoid the oven, drink water, and check on elderly neighbors — heat is the real danger in a July outage. Winter outage: dress in layers, close off unused rooms, never use a gas oven or grill for heat (carbon monoxide again), and let faucets drip slightly to prevent frozen pipes if the house gets very cold.

Medical equipment

If anyone in the home depends on powered medical equipment, this is the scenario to plan for before it happens — with your doctor, your equipment provider, and ideally a standby generator or battery backup sized for the equipment. During an outage, know your equipment's battery runtime and have the backup plan ready.

The best outage plan is not needing one: a standby generator makes this whole checklist mostly irrelevant.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if food in the fridge is still safe?

Keep the doors closed and use a food thermometer. Perishables held above 40°F for more than 2 hours should be discarded. When in doubt, throw it out — you can't see, smell, or taste the bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

Can I use my gas stove during a power outage?

For cooking, yes, if you can light it (the electric igniter won't work — use a match). For heating the house, absolutely not — it's a carbon monoxide risk and it's not designed for it.

Should I turn off my breakers during an outage?

Turn off or unplug sensitive electronics and major appliances to protect them from the surge when power returns. Leave one light on so you know when it's back.

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