Outage planning / Blog & insights
Your blackout checklist: start with what you have
Get your essentials together, spot the gaps and make a practical plan before the next outage.
Walk through your home first
Before buying anything, gather what you already own. Look for flashlights, spare batteries, power banks, charging cables, a manual can opener and a place to keep important documents. Check that each item works. A flashlight with dead batteries or a charger that does not fit your phone is a gap worth finding now.
Put shared items in an easy-to-find location and tell everyone where that is. Keep a light accessible where you sleep, too. The goal is to avoid searching through drawers in the dark.
Plan for your household's real needs
Use the water section of the checklist as a starting point. CDC recommends at least one gallon per person per day for three days, with extra for needs such as pets or hot weather. Four people would therefore start at 12 gallons before those additions. [1]
Choose food you normally eat and can prepare without your usual appliances. Include the small things that matter in your home: infant supplies, pet food, glasses, hygiene items and accessible lighting. Discuss medicine storage and powered medical equipment with the relevant care team before an outage.
Keep a quick reference with the supplies
Page two of the download covers the first steps during an outage, food-safety reminders and portable-generator safety. Keep it with the kit. Save the complete PDF to your phone so you can read it without relying on an internet connection.
Have a cooler and appliance thermometers ready. An unopened refrigerator stays cold for about four hours; longer outages call for a plan to keep perishables safely chilled. Food safety depends on temperature and time, not how food looks or smells. [2]
Finish with three achievable actions
Choose three missing items or arrangements to handle this week. Assign an owner and a date. Revisit the kit after you use it and when household needs change. Then complete your household outage plan so your supplies and your decisions work together.
Sources & further reading
Information reviewed November 10, 2026.
- Creating an emergency water supplyCDC
- Food and water safety during power outagesFDA
- Protect yourself during a power outageCDC
Practical household planning guidance. Follow local emergency instructions and get advice for your individual needs.