Power & Lighting

List the devices and systems your household would need during an extended outage.

Possible priorities include:

• Medical equipment
• Refrigerated medication
• Phones
• Emergency alerts
• Flashlights and lanterns
• Refrigerator or freezer
• Fans
• Internet equipment
• Well or sump pump
• Mobility equipment
• Security equipment
• Cooking equipment
• Garage-door access
• Necessary work equipment

Separate the list into three levels.

These are items required for health, safety, communication, or evacuation.

Examples include medical devices, medication refrigeration, phones, emergency lighting, mobility equipment, and a way to receive official alerts.

These improve the household’s ability to function through a prolonged outage.

Examples include refrigeration, fans, internet equipment, a well pump, limited cooking equipment, and additional room lighting.

These make difficult conditions more manageable but are not required for immediate safety.

Examples may include entertainment, additional appliances, extra lighting, or a way to make coffee.

Cover critical needs first. Add comfort and convenience only after the essential system is dependable.

Backup-power equipment is easier to compare when you understand three basic measurements.

Watts describe how much power a device uses at a particular moment.

A 10-watt light requires much less power than a refrigerator, microwave, air conditioner, pump, or medical device.

Watt-hours describe stored energy.

A battery rated for 1,000 watt-hours contains approximately enough stored energy to operate a 100-watt load for ten hours under ideal conditions.

Actual runtime will be shorter because of inverter losses, temperature, battery protection, device cycling, and other operating conditions.

A simple estimate is:

Battery watt-hours × usable efficiency ÷ device watts = approximate runtime

Treat the result as an estimate, not a guarantee.

Some appliances require a brief increase in power when a motor or compressor starts.

Refrigerators, freezers, pumps, air conditioners, and some medical devices may require more starting power than their normal running wattage suggests.

The backup system must support both:

• Continuous running watts
• Temporary starting or surge watts

Check the appliance label, manual, manufacturer information, or a reliable power meter before depending on estimates.

A layered system provides several ways to keep essential equipment operating.

If one method fails, runs out of fuel, or cannot support a particular device, another layer may still cover the most important needs.

Personal charging keeps small electronics operating.

Possible equipment includes:

• Compact power banks
• Larger USB battery packs
• Vehicle chargers
• Spare charging cables
• Wall chargers
• Rechargeable flashlights
• Rechargeable headlamps
• Rechargeable lanterns
• Battery-powered radio

Assign each household member a charged power bank when practical.

Label cables and adapters so they can be identified in the dark. Include the correct cables for phones, radios, medical devices, lights, tablets, watches, and other essential electronics.

A portable power station stores electricity in a rechargeable battery and provides USB, 12-volt, and household-style outlets depending on the model.

It may support:

• Phones
• Tablets
• Laptops
• Internet equipment
• LED lighting
• Fans
• CPAP machines
• Some medication refrigerators
• Televisions
• Small appliances
• Other compatible devices

Unlike a fuel-burning generator, a battery power station does not produce carbon monoxide while operating. It can generally be used indoors when used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Do not assume every power station can operate every appliance. Confirm its continuous output, surge output, battery capacity, charging time, and compatible connection types.

Portable solar panels may extend battery runtime when adequate sunlight is available.

Solar performance depends on:

• Panel size
• Sun angle
• Cloud cover
• Shade
• Temperature
• Charging-controller limits
• Power-station input limits
• Time available for charging

Hurricane conditions can include clouds, heavy rain, debris, damaged panels, and limited safe outdoor space.

Treat portable solar as a recharging method, not as guaranteed continuous power. Test the complete panel, cable, adapter, and power-station combination before hurricane season.

Do not place panels or cables where they create a trip hazard, block an exit, or require someone to enter unsafe conditions.

A portable generator can support larger loads and operate as long as fuel remains available.

Depending on its capacity, it may power:

• Refrigerators
• Freezers
• Pumps
• Window air conditioners
• Medical equipment
• Cooking appliances
• Lighting
• Selected household circuits

Generators require safe placement, approved fuel storage, maintenance, appropriate cords, carbon monoxide alarms, and a plan for wet weather.

A generator is not an indoor appliance.

A professionally installed standby generator or home battery system may provide power to selected circuits or much of the home.

These systems may be appropriate for households with:

• Essential medical equipment
• Frequent outages
• Well pumps
• Home businesses
• Accessibility needs
• Large refrigeration requirements
• A need for automatic operation

Installation, permits, fuel supply, battery capacity, maintenance, and electrical configuration should be evaluated by qualified professionals.

A whole-home system still needs regular testing and a plan for fuel interruptions, equipment failure, flooding, or storm damage.

Do not select a power system based only on advertising claims or battery size.

Create a written load plan that includes:

• Device name
• Running watts
• Starting watts when applicable
• Expected hours of use
• Number of operating cycles
• Required outlet type
• Medical importance
• Backup alternative

Consider whether devices need to operate simultaneously.

A system may run a refrigerator, fan, and medical device individually but exceed its capacity when all three start together.

Reduce unnecessary loads and operate high-demand equipment in planned intervals when appropriate. Never cycle or interrupt essential medical equipment unless the medical provider and device manufacturer confirm that doing so is safe.

Medical-power planning should be completed before hurricane season.

If anyone depends on electrically powered or refrigerated medical equipment:

• Speak with the medical provider.
• Contact the equipment manufacturer.
• Ask the utility about available medical programs.
• Determine the equipment’s power requirements.
• Confirm how long internal batteries last.
• Obtain appropriate backup batteries when possible.
• Test compatible backup power.
• Prepare a safe medication-cooling plan.
• Identify a powered evacuation destination.
• Register for special-needs assistance when appropriate.
• Keep emergency contacts accessible.
• Prepare transportation before conditions deteriorate.

Do not connect medical equipment to an untested inverter, generator, power station, extension cord, or adapter.

If essential equipment cannot operate reliably through an extended outage, remaining home may not be safe.

Good lighting reduces falls, injuries, confusion, and anxiety.

Do not depend on one flashlight or a phone flashlight.

Give each household member an accessible light when practical.

Useful options include:

• Flashlights
• Headlamps
• Clip-on lights
• Small rechargeable lights

A headlamp leaves both hands available for assisting children, managing pets, carrying supplies, or handling equipment.

Place lanterns or area lights in frequently used spaces:

• Interior safe area
• Kitchen
• Bathroom
• Hallway
• Stairway
• Bedroom
• Medication area
• Pet area

Keep lights in predictable locations. Someone should be able to find a flashlight without crossing a dark room.

Brighter task lighting may be useful for:

• Generator operation
• Equipment inspection
• Minor repairs
• First aid
• Cooking
• Cleanup
• Vehicle loading

Use outdoor-rated equipment where necessary and protect electrical connections from water.

Do not go outside during dangerous wind, lightning, flooding, or when officials advise residents to remain indoors.

Use battery-powered flashlights and lanterns instead of candles whenever possible.

Open flames create unnecessary fire risk around children, pets, bedding, curtains, fuel, and crowded emergency supplies.

A phone may become your primary tool for receiving alerts, contacting family, navigating, documenting damage, and accessing emergency information.

Before a storm:

• Charge every phone.
• Charge every power bank.
• Charge radios and rechargeable lights.
• Charge medical-device batteries.
• Keep vehicle chargers accessible.
• Download offline maps.
• Save important documents for offline access.
• Write down essential telephone numbers.
• Enable emergency alerts.
• Reduce unnecessary background activity.
• Use battery-saving settings when appropriate.

Preserve phone power by using a flashlight or lantern for lighting instead of the phone.

Text messages may go through when cellular networks are too congested for voice calls.

Use the Communications guide to build a complete outage-ready contact and information plan.

Prepare the refrigerator and freezer before the power goes out.

• Set them to their coldest practical settings.
• Freeze containers of water.
• Group frozen items together.
• Place appliance thermometers inside.
• Prepare coolers and ice packs.
• Avoid unnecessary door opening.
• Know which food should be used first.
• Prepare meals that require little or no refrigeration.

An unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for approximately four hours.

A full unopened freezer may maintain a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours. A half-full freezer may maintain it for approximately 24 hours.

These time frames are general guidance. Use appliance thermometers and current food-safety recommendations when deciding whether food remains safe.

Never taste food to determine whether it is safe. When uncertain about perishable food, throw it away.

Discard food that has contacted floodwater.

After a hurricane, the loss of air conditioning may become more dangerous than the loss of lighting.

Prepare:

• Battery-powered fans
• Rechargeable fans
• Cooling towels
• Lightweight clothing
• Drinking water
• Electrolyte drinks
• Shaded areas
• Safe cross-ventilation
• A battery-powered thermometer
• A cooler backup destination

Fans may improve comfort, but they cannot always prevent heat illness when indoor temperatures become dangerous.

Older adults, infants, pregnant people, pets, and people with heart, lung, kidney, mobility, or temperature-regulation conditions may face greater risk.

Know the warning signs of heat illness:

• Heavy sweating
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Hot or unusually dry skin

Call 911 for signs of severe heat illness.

A vehicle may provide temporary cooling, but never run a gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle inside an attached garage, even with the garage door open. Move it completely outdoors and away from doors, windows, and vents.

If the home cannot remain safe without air conditioning, relocate to a cooling center, hotel, shelter, medical facility, or another powered location.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging, storage, temperature limits, ventilation, connections, and compatible equipment.

General precautions include:

• Keep the unit dry.
• Do not operate it in standing water.
• Do not cover ventilation openings.
• Keep it away from excessive heat.
• Protect it from falling objects.
• Use approved charging cables.
• Do not exceed its rated output.
• Do not use damaged batteries or cables.Stop using a battery that swells, leaks, overheats, smells unusual, or shows physical damage.
• Keep the unit where children and pets cannot tamper with it.
• Maintain a clear path to disconnect equipment.

Do not assume that every household appliance, medical device, pump, heater, air conditioner, or refrigerator is compatible.

Portable generators can create deadly carbon monoxide, fire, electrical, and fuel hazards.

Operate a portable generator outdoors and at least 20 feet from the home and other occupied buildings.

Point the exhaust away from:

• Windows
• Doors
• Vents
• Garages
• Neighboring buildings
• Outdoor gathering areas

Never operate a generator inside or within:

• A home
• A garage
• A carport
• A shed
• A basement
• A crawl space
• An enclosed porch
• Any partially enclosed area

Opening a garage door, window, or exterior door does not make indoor generator use safe.

Install battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms or alarms with battery backup.

Place alarms according to manufacturer instructions and applicable local requirements.

If an alarm sounds or anyone develops headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, chest pain, confusion, or unusual sleepiness:

• Move everyone outside into fresh air.
• Call 911.
• Do not reenter until emergency professionals determine that it is safe.

Never plug a generator into a household wall outlet.

This dangerous practice, commonly called backfeeding, can cause electrocution, fire, equipment damage, or injury to utility workers.

Use:

• A professionally installed transfer switch for household circuits
• Properly rated outdoor extension cords for directly connected equipment
• Ground-fault protection when required
• Connections approved by the generator manufacturer

Keep cords away from standing water, damaged surfaces, doorways, and places where they create trip hazards.

Do not connect or handle electrical equipment while standing in water.

Store fuel outdoors in approved containers and away from living areas, ignition sources, and children.

Follow local laws, fire codes, lease restrictions, condominium rules, and manufacturer requirements.

Before refueling:

• Turn the generator off.
• Allow the engine to cool.
• Keep flames and smoking materials away.
• Clean spills according to manufacturer guidance.
• Secure the fuel container after use.

Do not attempt to store enough fuel for an extended outage without understanding safe storage limits and rotation requirements.

Keep the generator dry without enclosing it.

Use a manufacturer-approved generator cover or appropriately designed open-sided protection that does not trap exhaust or interfere with cooling.

Never touch the generator, plugs, cords, or connected equipment with wet hands or while standing in water.

A generator’s advertised runtime depends on load, fuel-tank size, operating mode, maintenance, and environmental conditions.

Estimate:

• How much fuel the generator uses at expected loads
• How many hours each day it must operate
• Which devices can operate together
• When refrigeration or cooling will run
• How fuel will be stored
• How fuel will be rotated
• Whether refueling may become unavailable
• Continuous operation is not always necessary.

A planned schedule may conserve fuel, reduce noise, and allow the generator to cool. However, do not interrupt essential medical equipment or other critical systems unless their safe operating requirements permit it.

Storm damage and restoration work can create unstable or hazardous electrical conditions.

• Keep all equipment away from floodwater.
• Unplug unnecessary sensitive electronics before the storm.
• Use surge protection appropriate for the equipment.
• Inspect cords and plugs before use.
• Do not energize wet appliances.
• Do not enter flooded rooms containing electrical equipment.
• Allow qualified professionals to inspect damaged systems.
• Follow utility instructions when power is restored.

If lights flicker, voltage appears unstable, equipment smells hot, outlets spark, or breakers repeatedly trip, disconnect equipment when safe and seek qualified assistance.

A complete test is more useful than confirming that each device turns on.

Practice:

• Charging every battery
• Connecting each critical device
• Measuring expected loads
• Starting motor-driven appliances
• Operating the system for several hours
• Recharging the power station
• Connecting solar panels
• Starting and stopping the generator
• Using the transfer switch
• Placing extension cords safely
• Refueling after the generator cools
• Locating equipment in darkness
• Moving equipment without injury

Record results and update the plan.

If the system does not work during a calm test, it should not be treated as dependable during a hurricane.

When a hurricane may affect your area:

• Charge every device and battery.
• Test flashlights and lanterns.
• Test portable power stations.
• Test the generator outdoors.
• Obtain approved fuel before demand increases.
• Check oil and maintenance requirements.
• Inspect cables, panels, adapters, and cords.
• Confirm medical backup power.
• Freeze water containers.
• Prepare coolers.
• Download offline information.
• Review the household power schedule.
• Move equipment away from flood-prone areas.
• Confirm the generator’s safe operating location.
• Make sure carbon monoxide and smoke alarms work.
• Fuel or charge vehicles.
• Identify a powered relocation destination.

Complete all outdoor setup before wind, lightning, or flooding makes it dangerous.

• Use emergency lighting instead of candles.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
• Conserve phone batteries.
• Follow the written power schedule.
• Monitor medical equipment.
• Check indoor temperature.
• Watch for signs of heat illness.
• Keep children and pets away from electrical equipment.
• Keep generators at least 20 feet from occupied buildings.
• Monitor carbon monoxide alarms.
• Protect cords and connections from water.
• Turn off equipment before refueling.
• Follow official information from the utility and emergency management.

Do not take unnecessary risks simply to keep an appliance operating.

A large battery number does not guarantee that a system can start or operate the required equipment.

Batteries discharge, fuel runs out, equipment fails, and solar charging depends on conditions. Build more than one layer.

Unfamiliar connections, missing cables, discharged batteries, and incompatible devices are common preventable failures.

Carbon monoxide can enter through windows, doors, vents, garages, and neighboring buildings.

Improvised male-to-male cords and household-outlet connections can electrocute people and start fires.

Backup equipment cannot help if it becomes submerged or inaccessible.

A phone battery should be preserved for communication, alerts, documentation, and navigation.

Backup lighting alone does not address dangerous indoor temperatures.

Medical devices and refrigerated medication require a tested plan and a safe relocation option.

The correct system depends on actual power needs, runtime, safety, maintainability, and household circumstances, not whether it fits a generic “basic,” “better,” or “best” category.

You do not need to purchase every backup-power option at once.

A practical starting order is:

1. Flashlights and headlamps
2. Spare batteries
3. Phone power banks and charging cables
4. Room lanterns
5. Battery-powered fans
6. Backup power for medical needs
7. A portable power station
8. Solar recharging when appropriate
9. A safely operated generator or professionally installed home system when needed

Test each layer before adding the next.

A smaller system that is charged, maintained, understood, and used safely is more valuable than expensive equipment nobody has tested.

Use the Power and Lighting Gear page to compare equipment categories and find product recommendations.

Review Home Preparation for property protection, utilities, drainage, and indoor preparation.

Use Bug In Preparation to plan for heat, sanitation, food, water, medical needs, and daily life during an extended outage.

Review Medical and Safety for first aid, alarms, medication, and household safety equipment.

Use Communications to prepare outage-ready alerts, contacts, radios, and offline information.

Review Vehicle Preparation for charging, fuel, emergency equipment, and temporary cooling considerations.

Keep Bug Out Bags ready if the home becomes unsafe or essential equipment cannot continue operating.

Use Evacuation Planning to identify a powered destination before the outage becomes a medical or heat emergency.