An outage is easier to manage when light, phone power, warmth, and information each have a simple backup.
Find your light first.
Keep a working torch where you can reach it. Our starting suggestion is one light per person. That is an editorial suggestion, not a government requirement.
Check batteries, charging cables, and controls before you need them. A head torch can be convenient if you need both hands. Use a torch rather than candles where possible; open flames add avoidable risk.
For equipment whose instructions accept 1.2V NiMH AA cells, rechargeables are an option. They need a suitable charger and a power source, and should be charged before an outage. AA cells do not fit AAA equipment. Our battery guide explains how to match the complete setup.
Make your phone power useful.
A charged power bank needs a compatible cable and a known working connection. Test the complete setup. Battery capacity labels alone do not guarantee a particular number of charges.
Save the information you might need in a form you can access without internet service. Write important contact numbers on paper. Avoid relying on one device for every part of your plan.
A consumer phone power bank is not automatically a medical-device backup. Ask the relevant provider to help make a suitable power and support plan.
Have another way to hear updates.
Ready.gov includes a battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert. Local emergency-management and weather information are important: check what you can receive where you live.
Check reception where you live. Write down useful stations and local assistance numbers in advance. Social posts and forwarded messages are not substitutes for current official instructions.
Stay warm without adding a new hazard.
Keep suitable clothing and blankets available. Match these to your climate and the people in your household. A thin foil sheet is not a replacement for adequate insulation in every situation.
Never use a barbecue, camping stove, or generator indoors or in an attached enclosed space. Follow official and manufacturer safety instructions; improvised heating can create fire and carbon monoxide hazards.
Check in with people.
Agree on who you would contact or visit if communication fails. Where relevant, find out about additional support from your utility provider before an outage.
You don’t need to predict every problem. A working light, a tested charger, reliable information, and a shared plan are a useful place to start.
Go to the source.
Supporting sources, checked 25 October 2026. Our explanations and product examples are editorial choices, not hands-on tests or official product approvals. Equipment quantities are starting suggestions, not a safety guarantee.
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