Your place · Preparing for emergencies

Getting through a power outage

Keep the fridge and freezer shut: a closed fridge keeps food safe about 4 hours, a full freezer about 48 (24 if half full). Unplug electronics, use flashlights instead of candles, and never run a generator, grill or camp stove indoors or within 20 feet of a window. Stay 35 feet from downed lines. Afterward, throw out perishables that sat above 40°F for 2 hours.

Easy15 min to read and prepFree, plus a $10 to $30 kit if you don't have oneChecked October 2, 2026

You'll need

A flashlight for each person, and spare batteries
A charged power bank
A fridge or appliance thermometer
A cooler, and somewhere to get ice
Two weeks of nonperishable food and water, if you can store it

Do it like this

Check whether it's just you. If neighbors still have lights, check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker. If the whole street is dark, report it to your utility and check its outage map. The Red Cross says that if any breakers tripped during an outage, have an electrician inspect them before you turn them back on. Source: Red Cross³
Keep the fridge and freezer closed. An unopened fridge keeps food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours, or 24 if it's half full. Source: Red Cross FoodSafety.gov³² Eat fresh, perishable food first, and move what you need into a cooler with ice if the outage drags on. Source: Red Cross³
Unplug electronics and appliances. Power can come back with surges or spikes that damage them. Source: Ready.gov¹ Leave one lamp switched on so you'll know when the power is back.
Use flashlights, not candles. Candles are a fire risk. Source: Red Cross³
Keep fuel-burning equipment outside. Generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills go outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages. Source: Ready.gov¹ Never use a generator inside your home or garage, even with the doors and windows open. Source: CDC⁴ Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven. Source: Ready.gov¹
Charge your phone safely. Use a power bank. If you charge in a car, run it outside only. The CDC says never to run a car in a garage attached to a house, even with the door open. Source: CDC⁴
Leave if it's too hot or too cold. Go to a community location with power if the heat or cold is extreme. Check with local officials about warming and cooling centers. Source: Ready.gov¹ Leave too if you rely on medical devices that need power. Source: Red Cross³
Stay away from downed power lines. Stay at least 35 feet from fallen lines and anything they touch, and call 911. Source: Red Cross³ Don't wade into flooded areas or use electrical equipment that may have been underwater. Source: Red Cross³
Sort the food when the power comes back. Never taste food to decide whether it's safe. Throw out refrigerated perishables, like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, soft cheese, milk and leftovers, if they've been above 40°F for more than 2 hours. Source: FoodSafety.gov² Frozen food can be refrozen if it still has ice crystals or is 40°F or below. Source: FoodSafety.gov²

Watch out Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, and it can kill people in their sleep before they notice symptoms. Watch for headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. Source: CDC⁴ If you suspect it, get everyone into fresh air right away and call 911.

After the outage: keep or toss?

For refrigerated food that sat above 40°F for more than 2 hours, from FoodSafety.gov's chart. Source: FoodSafety.gov² When in doubt, throw it out.

Food	Keep or toss
Raw or cooked meat, poultry, fish, lunch meat, hot dogs	Toss
Milk, cream, yogurt, soft cheeses, shredded cheese	Toss
Eggs and egg dishes	Toss
Leftovers, pizza, casseroles, soups	Toss
Cut fruit and cut vegetables, bagged salad greens	Toss
Opened mayonnaise and spaghetti sauce	Toss
Hard cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan), butter	Keep
Whole uncut fruit and vegetables, opened fruit juice	Keep
Peanut butter, jelly, mustard, ketchup, pickles	Keep
Bread, tortillas, muffins	Keep

Outage kit checklist

A flashlight for each person, plus batteries. Source: Ready.gov¹
A charged power bank for your phone. Source: Ready.gov¹
A battery or crank radio, and a paper list of important phone numbers. Source: Red Cross³
Nonperishable food and water. The Red Cross suggests at least two weeks if you can. Source: Red Cross³
A thermometer in the fridge and freezer, and a cooler. Source: Red Cross³
Carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup on every level. Source: Ready.gov¹
Surge protectors for your electronics. Source: Red Cross³
A plan for any refrigerated medicine or powered medical device. Source: Ready.gov¹

See it done

Video by American Red Cross Nonprofit

Refrigerator Temperature Trick for Power Outages

Watch on YouTube: Refrigerator Temperature Trick for Power Outages

Checked October 3, 2026

A quick 30-second Red Cross tip from August 2026 for telling whether your fridge stayed cold. When you're deciding what to keep, go by the 40°F and 2-hour rules in the steps.

Video won't load at school or work? No problem. Everything you need is in the steps; the video's just a bonus. Watch it on YouTube later.

If it doesn't work

If refrigerated medicine was without power for more than a day, Ready.gov says to throw it out unless its label says otherwise, and to call your doctor or pharmacist right away for a new supply. Source: Ready.gov¹
If you need to run a generator, keep it dry, plug appliances into it with heavy-duty outdoor extension cords, and let it cool before refueling. Source: Ready.gov¹ Use a battery CO alarm inside while it runs. Source: CDC⁴
If your gas was shut off, only a qualified professional can turn the gas line back on. Source: Red Cross³
If you rent and the outage is only in your unit, check your breakers, then tell your landlord in writing.

Good to know

The details, if you want them. Tap a line to open it.

Sign up for alerts

Sign up for your area's text alerts, and keep a battery or crank radio, since cell and internet service can go down. Source: Red Cross³

Keep the gas tank half full

The Red Cross suggests keeping your car's tank at least half full in case you need to leave. Source: Red Cross³ An outage can close gas stations, stores, ATMs and banks. Source: Ready.gov¹

Check on people

Let friends and family know you're okay, and check on anyone who might need help. Source: Red Cross³

Take it with you

Printable card Download card (PDF)

Sources

Ready.gov (FEMA) Power outages
FoodSafety.gov Food safety during a power outage
American Red Cross Power outage safety
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Carbon monoxide poisoning basics

Lesson H8.2 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed.

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