Power's Out — Do This First

The first 10 minutes

Most outages end within a few hours. A few last days. You can't tell which kind you have yet, so the goal of the first hour is simple: stay safe, protect your food and water, and find out what's going on.

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.

Downed lines: stay 30+ feet away

Treat every fallen wire as live. Never touch it, or anything it's touching — a fence, a puddle, a car. Call 911 and your utility. If a line falls on your car while you're in it, stay inside unless the car is on fire.

The first hour

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.

Never use these indoors — not even in a garage

Generators, gas or charcoal grills, camp stoves, and propane or kerosene heaters not made for indoor use. Carbon monoxide has no smell, and it kills people in their sleep every winter outage. Run generators outside, at least 20 feet from doors, windows and vents. See Backup power & generators.

If it looks like a long one

If the utility says "24 hours or more," or a big storm hit the whole region, switch from waiting to managing:

Food: Pack a cooler with ice for the things you'll use first so the fridge stays shut. Track the time with the fridge & freezer timer.
Water: Set aside drinking water — about 1 gallon per person per day. See Water.
Heat or cooling: Pick one room to keep comfortable and close off the rest. See Staying warm — and cool.
Power: Charge phones and radios in the car (outdoors, engine running in open air), from power banks, or at a warming/cooling center.
Pipes: If it's below freezing and you'll be without heat, drip faucets and open cabinet doors under sinks.
Plan your days: Read The First 72 Hours.

When the power comes back

Wait a few minutes before plugging electronics back in. Turn things on one at a time so you don't overload circuits.
Check the fridge and freezer. Use a thermometer: anything perishable that sat above 40°F for more than 2 hours should be thrown out. When in doubt, throw it out.
Reset clocks, check the furnace, and restock the flashlight batteries you used.
Write down what you wished you'd had. That's your shopping list.

Sources: Ready.gov — Power Outages · CDC — Carbon Monoxide Poisoning · USDA FSIS — Food Safety in Emergencies