Deadly Mushroom Survival

Blackout guide

Power out? Do this

What to have ready, what to do during an outage and when to throw food away, based on American Red Cross power outage safety guidance.

Last reviewed 9 November 2026. Sources: American Red Cross, Ready.gov. Links are at the end of this page.

Infographic titled Power out? Do this, in three parts: get ready, during the outage and food safety, covering flashlights, radios, alarms, coolers, generators, unplugging appliances, food safety temperatures and fallen power lines. The full text is below the image.
Open the image for the full-size version. The same points are written out below.

Key points (text version)

Get ready

  • Use flashlights, not candles, and keep spare batteries.
  • Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio. Ready.gov also suggests a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert.
  • Install battery-backup smoke alarms on every floor, inside and outside sleeping areas, and test them monthly.
  • Have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home.
  • Keep coolers and ice for food, and a thermometer in the fridge, freezer or cooler.
  • Our tip: charge phones and power banks before a storm if you can.

During the outage

  • Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid overloads and damage from power surges.
  • Use generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills outdoors only, at least 20 feet (6 m) away from windows. Never use a generator indoors.
  • Stay at least 35 feet (11 m) away from fallen power lines and anything they are touching, and call 911.

Food safety

  • An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours.
  • A full freezer keeps its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door stays closed.
  • Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
  • Throw out food that has been warmer than 40°F (4°C).

Sources

General information only. Adjust for your health, family, pets and local conditions, and follow advice from your local emergency authority.

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