The First Hour of a Power Outage

In the first sixty minutes, you decide whether the next twelve hours are manageable.

Do this, in order

Confirm. Glance outside. Are the neighbors dark? Call the utility once. Listen to the estimate. Do not refresh the map.
People first. Anyone in the house who depends on powered medical equipment or refrigerated medicine — get eyes on them now. Check device batteries. Find the backup plan or make the call.
One active phone. Pick the phone with the most battery. The others go off or to airplane mode. Active phone: low-power mode now, screen dimmed. No scrolling.
One short text. Power is out here. We're okay for now. I'll text again at 8. Send it to the people who would worry.
Fridge and freezer closed. Both. Tonight's food comes from the counter and the pantry.
Real light. Flashlights and headlamps. Candles stay in the drawer.
Widen the circle. Text one person who might worry or need help — especially someone older, alone, or medically fragile.
Decide about the night. Stay or go. Decide at four in the afternoon, not at nine.

Do not

Light candles for ambient light.
Run a generator, grill, or any fuel-burning device inside the house, in the garage, on a covered porch, or within twenty feet of any door, window, or vent. Carbon monoxide kills indoors and you cannot smell it in time.
Run a car engine inside a closed garage.
Open the fridge "just to check."
Spend phone battery on outage maps or social media.
Taste food to decide whether it is safe.

When to leave

The house is no longer safe — too hot, too cold, no power for someone who depends on it.
Anyone medically dependent on power who cannot be supported at home with battery backup or relocation to a hospital, urgent care, or shelter.

When to call 911

Anyone in respiratory distress, signs of stroke or heart attack, severe burn, or unconsciousness.
Anyone on essential power-dependent medical equipment that has run out of battery and cannot be relocated safely.
Headache, dizziness, or nausea in anyone who has been near a running generator, grill, or burning fuel — get outside, then call 911.

Checked against current guidance from the FDA, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, foodsafety.gov, the CDC, FEMA, Ready.gov, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Oregon State University Extension. Source notes at cairnsociety.org/first-hour-power-outage/sources.

Cairn No. 01 · cairnsociety.org · Free to copy, print, and share.

General guidance for households, not professional advice. For your specific situation, talk to a qualified person.