How to Prepare for Grid Down

Step 1: Secure water

Many homes lose water when the power goes out — city pumps and private wells both rely on electricity. Store at least 1 gallon per person per day, aiming for two weeks. Then build ways to get more: rainwater catchment from your roof, a nearby stream or pond, and the tools to make it safe — a filter to clear sediment followed by boiling or chemical disinfection. Filtering alone does not make water safe.

Step 2: Plan food without refrigeration

Eat perishables first: fridge food in the first day, then freezer food while it still has ice crystals, then your pantry. Build a pantry of foods you already eat and rotate them. Learn one or two no-power preservation methods — dehydrating, water-bath canning of high-acid foods, or pressure canning for low-acid foods — following tested recipes.

Step 3: Heat, cool and cook safely

Pick one room to keep warm in winter: close it off, cover windows, layer up and sleep together. In summer, cool with shade, airflow and wet cloths, and watch for heat illness. Cook outdoors only — grills, camp stoves and generators produce carbon monoxide that kills indoors. Install battery-powered CO alarms now.

Step 4: Light and small power

Flashlights, headlamps and lanterns with spare batteries are safer than candles. A small solar panel and battery bank can keep lights, radios and phones running. If you want to run larger loads like a freezer or well pump, size the system properly and have the wiring done safely.

Step 5: Sanitation and health

If toilets stop flushing, a two-bucket system with bags, sawdust or cat litter keeps waste contained. Handwashing with soap and clean water prevents most illness in an outage. Keep a first-aid kit, extra prescription medicines where your pharmacist allows, and a plan for medicines that need refrigeration or powered devices.

Step 6: Communication, cash and community

Keep a crank or battery radio, a written contact list and a family meeting plan. Hold cash in small bills. Get to know your neighbors: shared skills, tools and watchfulness make every household safer. Secure doors and windows, keep a low profile with lights and generators, and decide in advance when you'd leave.

Step 7: Practice

Run a 24-hour drill with the main breaker off. You'll quickly see what you're missing. Fix the biggest gap, then repeat in a few months with a longer drill.

What happens in the first 24 hours

The first day sets the tone. Check on everyone in your home and on vulnerable neighbors. Fill bathtubs and large pots with water for washing and flushing while pressure lasts — this water is for sanitation, not drinking unless you treat it. Keep the fridge and freezer closed: a full freezer keeps food frozen for about 48 hours, a fridge for about 4. Unplug sensitive electronics to protect them from surges when power returns. Turn on your radio for official updates and conserve phone battery by switching to low-power mode and texting instead of calling.

Then make a simple plan for the next few days: how much water you have, what you'll eat first, how you'll cook outdoors and which room you'll use for warmth or cooling.

Budgeting your preparations

You don't need to buy everything at once. Spread it out: water containers and treatment first, then pantry food over a few grocery trips, then lighting and a radio, then warm bedding, then a small solar setup if you want one. Skills such as treating water, cooking outdoors and preserving food are free to learn and often matter more than gear. Prioritize by what would hurt most to be without for a week.

Frequently asked questions