Your During-the-Outage Checklist
Last verified: September 2026
When the lights go out, a calm, simple routine keeps everyone safe and comfortable — from the first ten minutes to riding out a long one. Here's the plan, step by step. Call (330) 200-8042.
During the Outage, at a Glance
When the lights go out, a calm, simple routine keeps everyone safe and comfortable. This guide walks you through it, from the first ten minutes — grab a light, check the breaker, report the outage — to keeping food cold, conserving power and water, staying informed, and checking on everyone. Safety comes first, especially the rule that nothing which burns fuel comes indoors, and flashlights beat candles. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 What's the first thing to do when the power goes out?
Grab a flashlight, then check whether it's a real outage or just your home — look at the breaker panel and whether neighbors are dark. Once you know it's a utility outage, note the time and report it to your electric company.
2 How long will my food stay safe without power?
About four hours in the fridge and around 48 hours in a full freezer, if the doors stay closed. Move a day's food to a cooler so the fridge stays shut, and note the outage start time to judge safety when power returns.
3 How do I keep my phone alive through the outage?
Switch on low-power mode right away, dim the screen, and text instead of calling. Keep one phone on for information and rest the others, lean on power banks, and charge from the car outdoors if you need to.
4 Is it safe to run a generator during the outage?
Only outdoors, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows and doors — never in a garage or on a porch. Carbon monoxide is deadly, so the outdoor-only rule is absolute.
5 What should I do about water during an outage?
If you're on a well, the pump is off, so use your stored water wisely and the filled bathtub for flushing. In town, listen for any boil-water notice. Our water guide covers keeping water safe and making questionable water drinkable.
6 When should I leave for somewhere with power?
If the house is getting dangerously hot or cold, if medical equipment backup is running low, or if staying feels unsafe. Decide your triggers ahead of time, leave before it's urgent, take your go-bags and pets, and call 911 if health is at risk.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
An outage is far easier with a steady routine, and I'm glad to help you build one — reporting, safety, food, power, and checking on everyone. And if something comes up mid-outage, I'm a call away. $99 flat for a visit, or often $49 on-screen.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).