Checklists · Grid-Down Guide

Power's Out — Do This First

Check that everyone is OK. Account for kids, older relatives and pets. Anyone on powered medical equipment comes first (see Medications, kids, elders & pets).
Grab light, not candles. Use flashlights, headlamps or LED lanterns. Candles start house fires, especially in the dark when people are moving around.
Look outside. Are the neighbors dark too? If only your home is out, check your main breaker. If the whole street is out, it's the utility.
Report it and check the outage map from a charged phone. Spokane area: Avista outages and Inland Power. Don't assume someone else has reported it.
Keep the fridge and freezer closed. A closed fridge stays cold about 4 hours. A full freezer holds about 48 hours (24 if half full).
Unplug sensitive electronics (TV, computer, microwave) so a power surge doesn't damage them when the lights come back. Leave one lamp switched on so you'll know when power returns.

Get information. Tune a battery or hand-crank radio to local news, or check your utility's outage map. Look for an estimated restoration time.
Conserve your phone. Turn on low-power mode, dim the screen, close apps. Text instead of calling — texts get through congested networks more easily.
Fill water containers if you're on a well (no power = no pump) or if officials warn of water problems. City water usually keeps flowing for a while.
Dress for the temperature. In winter, put on layers before you get cold. In summer, move to the coolest room, usually the lowest floor.
Check on neighbors, especially older people living alone.
Make sure carbon monoxide (CO) alarms have working batteries. If you'll run a generator, camp stove or heater, CO is the biggest danger you face.

The First 72 Hours

Morning: check fridge/freezer temperatures (and write them down)
Morning: check outage map / radio for updates
Charge phones and radios (power bank, car, generator)
One hot meal; drink plenty of water
Check every CO alarm and smoke alarm (press test)
Check on a neighbor
Refill water containers if the taps still work
Before dark: lights at every bed, door locks checked, generator secured
Night: fuel-burning appliances off unless designed and vented for indoor use

First Aid & Health

Sanitation & Hygiene

Communication

Out-of-area contact: one relative or friend far away. Local calls often fail while long-distance ones work. Everyone checks in with that person.
Meeting places: one just outside your home (for fires), one in your neighborhood, and one outside the area.
Paper contact card in every wallet, backpack and go-bag: names, phone numbers, addresses, medical info, the out-of-area contact.
School and work plans: know their emergency procedures and where kids will be released.
Radio channel: if you use FRS/GMRS, write down your family channel and check-in times (e.g., on the hour, 5 minutes).
Check-in schedule: "If phones are out, we listen on channel 7 at 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m."

Safety & Security

CO alarm on every level and outside each sleeping area, with battery backup. Test monthly; replace the alarm every 5–7 years.
Generators outdoors only, 20+ feet from the house.
Never run a car in a garage, even with the door open. Clear snow from the tailpipe before running a car.
Never use a grill, camp stove or patio heater indoors.

Working smoke alarms on every level and in every bedroom (test monthly).
A fire extinguisher (ABC type) in the kitchen, garage and near any wood stove — and everyone knows how to use it: P.A.S.S. (Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze, Sweep).
Keep space heaters and stoves 3 feet from anything that can burn.
Flashlights instead of candles.
Two ways out of every room. Practice a fire drill.
If you heat with wood, store ashes in a metal can with a lid, outside, away from the house. Ashes stay hot for days.

Emergency Kits

Water: 1 gallon per person per day (14 gallons per person)
Two weeks of no-cook and easy-cook food (see Food)
Manual can opener (two)
Pet food and water

Headlamp for each person, LED lanterns, flashlights
Spare batteries for everything
Battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio
Power banks (charged), car charger cables
Generator or power station with fuel/cords (optional — see Backup power)

Sleeping bags or extra blankets for every person
Warm layers, hats, gloves, wool socks
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (windows, leaks)

Camp stove + fuel (outdoor use), matches/lighter
Paper plates, cups, utensils, foil, zip bags
Two-bucket toilet supplies (see Sanitation)
Toilet paper, wipes, soap, hand sanitizer, unscented bleach
Garbage bags

First aid kit with tourniquet (see First aid)
2-week supply of prescription medications, glasses, hearing aid batteries
CO alarm and smoke alarms with fresh batteries
Fire extinguisher
Wrench for gas shutoff, work gloves, multi-tool
N95 masks (wildfire smoke, dust)

Cash in small bills
Copies of IDs, insurance, medical info (see Family plan)
Paper map of your area and contact list

Swap stored water and rotate food
Check batteries and medication dates
Refit clothing for growing kids, switch summer/winter gear
Test radios, flashlights, the generator

Family Plan & Documents

What emergencies are most likely here? (Around Spokane: windstorms, winter storms and ice, wildfire and smoke, heat waves.)
Where do we meet if we can't get home, or have to leave fast?
Who is our out-of-area contact?
Who picks up the kids if roads are closed? Does the school have that person on file?
Who checks on grandparents or neighbors who live alone?
What does each person grab if we evacuate?
How do we shut off water, gas and power? (See Safety.)
What's the plan for pets? (See Special needs.)
When do we stay, and when do we go?

Driver's licenses, passports, birth certificates, Social Security cards
Insurance policies (home, auto, health, life) with policy numbers and phone numbers
Deed or lease, vehicle titles
Bank, credit card and retirement account numbers and phone numbers
Medical records: prescriptions, allergies, conditions, doctors' names
Immunization records, pet vaccination records
Wills, powers of attorney, guardianship papers
A recent photo of each family member and pet (for reuniting)
Home inventory: walk through your home with a phone and video every room, closet and drawer. Narrate what's valuable. Store the video off-site.

Medications, Kids, Elders & Pets

Keep at least a 2-week supply of every prescription. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about an early refill or a 90-day supply; many insurers allow it.
Keep a written list of every medication, dose, prescribing doctor and pharmacy.
Know which meds are critical and what happens if a dose is missed.
Store over-the-counter basics: pain reliever, fever reducer, allergy medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine, electrolytes.

Register with your utility as a medical-needs customer. Avista and other utilities keep lists for priority notification. (It doesn't guarantee faster restoration.)
Know how long each device's battery lasts, and keep spares charged.
A portable power station can run a CPAP all night (most use 30–60 watts; turn off the humidifier to save power). See Backup power.
Oxygen users: keep a backup supply of tanks that don't need power, and keep oxygen away from flames, candles and generators.
Have a plan to go somewhere with power — a relative, hospital, or shelter — before the batteries run out.

Ready-to-feed formula (needs no water) for 2 weeks, bottles, and a way to clean them
Diapers, wipes, rash cream for 2 weeks
Infant fever reducer and a thermometer
Warm sleepwear and sleep sacks. Don't put loose blankets in a crib — dress babies in extra layers instead.
Comfort items, books, games and activities that don't need power
Talk with kids about what happens in an emergency, calmly and in simple words. Let them help pack their own go-bag.

2 weeks of food and water, bowls
Medications and copies of vaccination records
Leash, harness, and a carrier or crate
Litter box and litter, or waste bags
Recent photo of you with your pet (proves ownership)
Microchip registered with your current phone number

Winter Storms & Ice

Wildfire, Smoke & Heat Waves

Clear dead leaves and needles from roofs and gutters
Keep a 5-foot zone around the house free of anything that burns: bark mulch, firewood, dry plants, patio cushions
Move firewood piles at least 30 feet from the house during fire season
Screen attic and crawl-space vents with ⅛-inch metal mesh
Trim tree branches 6–10 feet off the ground, and away from the roof
Keep hoses connected and long enough to reach all sides of the house

Know where your cooling centers are (libraries, community centers)
Have battery fans, spray bottles and plenty of water
Use window coverings: reflective film or blinds on sunny windows
Check on older neighbors twice a day
Never leave kids or pets in a car — even for a minute

Going Off-Grid: Where to Start

Water: Is there a well? How deep, and how many gallons per minute? If not, what do local well logs show? (Washington's Department of Ecology has a searchable well report database.)
Water rights and rules: rainwater, springs and surface water all have state rules.
Septic: will the soil pass a perc test? Composting toilets are legal in many counties but often still need a septic system for gray water.
Sun: south-facing open ground for solar and a garden. Steep north slopes and tall trees can mean months of shade.
Access: year-round road? Who plows it? How far to a hospital, fire station and school?
Wildfire risk: fire history, defensible space, insurance availability.
Building codes and zoning: many counties require permits for cabins, solar, wells and septic — even off-grid. Check before you build.
Internet and phone: cell coverage and satellite options (like Starlink) matter for work and emergencies.

Small Livestock

Store 2–4 weeks of feed and bedding, in rodent-proof bins
Have a way to water without power: stored water, rain catchment, a hand pump
Keep a livestock first-aid kit (wound spray, bandage wrap, electrolytes)
Have carriers or a trailer and a place to evacuate to during wildfire season
Keep records and photos of each animal