Lost Power During the Winter Storm? Here's What to Do

A massive winter storm is hammering the eastern United States, and power's already out for hundreds of thousands of people.

Cities like Little Rock and Tulsa are buried under heavy snow. The storm slammed Texas and Oklahoma Friday evening with sleet and snow—forecasters warned of "catastrophic" ice accumulation—before pushing toward Virginia on Saturday. Parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic could see over a foot of snow. New England is dealing with double-digit subzero temperatures.

Power outages are hitting hard, and a lot of people aren't prepared. Here's what to do when everything goes dark.

Get Your Supplies Together

Water's the big one. At least a gallon per person per day for two weeks. Fill bathtubs with non-drinking water for flushing toilets and washing.

Flashlights and batteries. Forget candles—they're a house fire waiting to happen. Battery-powered or hand-crank radio if possible. First aid kit. A week's worth of medications. Copies of important documents, emergency contacts, cash. Fill the gas tank before the storm hits.

Coolers and ice keep food from going bad when the fridge quits. Digital thermometer helps figure out what's still safe and what needs to be tossed.

When Everything Goes Dark

Food's the immediate problem. Power out less than two hours? Perishable stuff should be fine. Out longer than four hours? Fridge food goes in the trash. Freezer food stays safe up to 48 hours if it's full, 24 hours if it's mostly empty—but only if you keep the door shut.

And that's the hard part. Don't keep opening the fridge and freezer to check on things. Eat fridge food first, freezer stuff second, non-perishables last. If power's expected to be out more than a day, move food into coolers packed with ice.

Unplug stuff to avoid power surges when electricity comes back and leave one light on so you know when it returns.

Don't leave the house unless it's an actual emergency. Traffic lights could be out and roads are expected to be a mess.

Generators Are Deadly if Used Incorrectly

Using a generator? Keep it outside and only plug equipment directly into its outlets. Don't connect it to your home's electrical system. Have carbon monoxide alarms ready.

Never—and people ignore this every single winter—use a generator, grill, camp stove, or anything that burns fuel inside. Don't use it in the garage either. Carbon monoxide doesn't announce itself before it's deadly, and this is a common cause of fatalities in heavy storms.

How to Stay Warm

Close doors to trap heat. One room works better than trying to heat the whole house. Bodies generate warmth, so stick together. This includes pets.

Layer everything. Sweaters, jackets, socks, hats, gloves, blankets piled on. Wool and silk hold heat better than cotton.

The stove or oven won't save you. Gas ovens make carbon monoxide. Electric ovens start fires. Neither of these are worth it.

Keep windows closed and covered at night. Blinds and curtains block cold air coming off glass. Open them during the day so sunlight can help a little.

Drafts sneak in around doors. Rolled-up towels or rags shoved against the gaps help.

When Power Comes Back

Stay away from downed power lines. See one? Report it and move on.

Don't taste food to check if it's good. Toss anything that was above 40 degrees for more than two hours, or smells weird, looks off, or feels wrong. Especially meat and produce. If the freezer stayed below 40 and ice crystals are still there, food can be refrozen.

Power outages in winter storms are brutal. The difference between miserable and dangerous is preparation. Stock up before it hits, stay warm without taking stupid risks, and wait it out taking comfort in the fact you are fully prepared.

Did you find this information useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline to share with your friends.