A multi-day power outage: a plan by day

The resources in a household – water, warmth, batteries, refrigeration and your own strength – run down at different speeds. Fridge cooling often lasts only hours, batteries one or a few days depending on use, and the warmth in a home depends on insulation and weather. People get tired too: cold, darkness and uncertainty cost energy and sleep.

Thinking in phases puts each resource where it does most good. Even more importantly, you recognise early the point at which staying becomes riskier than leaving. That decision is much easier while it is still light, the car still has fuel and everyone still has strength.

In the first hour, check whether only your home is affected – a look at the fuse box and at the neighbours is enough. Then switch on the radio, unplug sensitive devices, note the time for the fridge and fill water while it still runs.

On the first day the fridge stays closed, and you eat the perishable food that is still cold first. The phone goes into power-saving mode, batteries are rationed and the warmth is kept in one room. Also look in on neighbours who need special support.

On days two and three, count your supplies and water, organise toilet and hygiene without running water and give the day a structure with set times for meals, sleep and news. Follow official information on help points and water and food distribution.

Check five things deliberately every day: warmth, water, medication, health and strength. If any of them becomes critical, plan a move to relatives outside the affected area or to an official help point – while there is still daylight, fuel and strength. There are no fixed deadlines for this; it depends on your situation.

If you leave, leave a note on the door or for the family saying where you have gone. Shut off water and power as you planned beforehand, and take medication, documents, chargers and warm clothing with you.

In acute danger such as fire, gas smell or flooding, the phase plan does not apply: get yourself to safety immediately and follow the authorities' instructions.

The longer an outage lasts, the greater the temptation to improvise. Carbon monoxide poisonings occur more often during longer power outages. Generators, grills and stoves therefore belong only outdoors and away from windows; a generator is never connected to the house wiring. Battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms are an important protection.

Candles and open flames are a common cause of fire in long outages, because tired people are more likely to overlook something. Prefer battery light.

In heat, shade, cross-ventilation at night, drinking enough and cool public places matter. With older people and children, watch for signs that the heat is getting to them, such as confusion, marked weakness or dizziness – then call the emergency number. In extreme cold or heat, Ready.gov recommends going to places that have power.

A fixed daily structure sounds trivial but helps a lot. Set times for meals, sleep and radio news give stability, especially to children, and stop you from constantly waiting for news. Typical mistakes are using up all the light and batteries on the first day, constantly opening the fridge and believing rumours from the stairwell more than the radio.

The BBK recommends supplies for several days and a battery radio as a source of information; FEMA's “Are You Ready?” guide describes planning for longer outages. Some municipalities set up help points or warming centres during large outages – ask beforehand whether and where they exist near you. Every outage is different, so the plan is a framework that you adapt to the situation.