PrepSignals
Power Outage First 24 Hours Checklist
Use this when the lights go out. Start with safety, preserve phone battery and cold food, then decide what to buy or restock after the situation is stable.
First 10 Minutes
- Confirm people and pets are safe.
- Use flashlights or lanterns instead of candles when possible.
- Check breakers only if it is safe and dry.
- Avoid downed lines, standing water, and carbon-monoxide risks.
- Switch the primary phone to low-power mode.
Information
- Check utility outage maps or official alerts once.
- Write down the outage start time.
- Choose one phone for updates and conserve the rest.
- Send short check-in texts before networks get busy.
- Keep a radio ready if storms are involved.
Light and Charging
- Put a lantern in the shared room.
- Keep one light near stairs, hallways, and bathrooms.
- Gather charging cables before dark.
- Charge phones in short planned sessions.
- Save larger power stations for medical, work, or freezer-monitoring needs.
Food and Water
- Keep fridge and freezer doors closed.
- Use shelf-stable food first.
- Do not taste food to decide if it is safe.
- Use appliance thermometers if available.
- Preserve drinking water for people, pets, and medication needs.
Household Needs
- Check medications, medical devices, and temperature-sensitive supplies.
- Move safely around the home before it gets dark.
- Check vulnerable neighbors or family members if safe.
- Keep pets contained and visible.
- Know where to go if heat, cold, or medical needs become unsafe.
What Not To Do
- Do not run generators indoors, in garages, on balconies, or near windows.
- Do not use grills or outdoor stoves for indoor heat.
- Do not open the refrigerator repeatedly.
- Do not spend phone battery refreshing feeds constantly.
- Do not buy large backup power until you know the real gap.
After Power Returns
- Check fridge and freezer temperatures before saving food.
- Recharge power banks, lanterns, radios, and battery packs.
- Restock shelf-stable meals, batteries, water, and pet supplies used.
- Write down what was missing, confusing, hard to find, or too expensive.
- Use the PrepSignals Kit Builder to turn the notes into a prioritized household plan.