What to have handy
Battery-powered flashlights instead of candles
Battery-operated radio or TV
Battery-powered clock At least one gallon of bottled water
A small, non-perishable or canned food supply
Digital kitchen thermometer to check food temperatures
Manual can opener
Dos:
Do shut all doors and windows and draw the curtains or blinds if it is warm outside and cool inside. Try moving to the lowest level of your home or building as cool air falls.
Do know how to operate your garage door’s manual release lever in case you need to use your car for an emergency.
Do treat all non-working traffic lights as four-way stops. Approach railway crossings with caution.
Do leave one light switched on so that you’ll know when power is restored.
Do tune into local radio or television stations with a battery-powered device for news updates.
Don’ts:
Do not operate a generator or charcoal grill inside your home or garage.
Do not use your gas oven as a source of heat.
Do not call 911 for updates on the power outage. Dial 911 for life-threatening emergencies only.
Do not travel unnecessarily. Traffic and road lights will likely be out, causing delays and confusion.
Do not attempt to open doors or crawl out between floors if trapped in an elevator.
Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to prevent food spoilage. Food in a freezer can stay frozen for up to two full days. Fresh food in the refrigerator will stay cool for about four hours.
Use a kitchen thermometer to check that frozen food temperatures are 40 degrees or below before eating.
When in doubt, throw food out.
Turn off and unplug appliances, electronics and other equipment such as air conditioners. This will protect against momentary but damaging surges when the power comes back on. And it helps prevent overloading the power grid when electricity is initially restored.
Do not attempt to plug a generator into an electric socket in a wall.
Do not attempt to wire a generator to your home’s electrical system