10 Tips: Surviving 72 Hours Without Electricity

Stashing the right kind of food and drink is imperative. We suggest:

• Dried food and nuts
• Canned food or any other ready to eat food (and a can opener).
• Dried and frozen camping food
• Ready to make oats and soups
• Breakfast bars or granola

The food or drink you put away should be nutritional and easy to prepare.

The first aid kit should have essentials like bandages and band-aids, antiseptic cream, tweezers, sterile gloves, and more. Visit our Storm Prep Page to view a full list of suggestions including a downloadable checklist.

To assemble your kit, store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers.

Preserve your phone’s power during a power blackout since it’s your only lifeline. Write down important information like phone numbers or addresses of places you might get help from in case your phone dies.

Pro Tip: Laptops can be used as a power source when the lights go out.

Portable Power Banks are a great way to charge your phone and other devices when and where needed.

Pro Tip: Look for a solar power bank option. This way the power bank is capable of recharging itself when the storm clears.

A portable generator can be an excellent option for back-up power and provide you with:

• Reliable Back-up Power
• Portability
• Recreational Benefits

Be sure to know if your portable generator can provide power for all your appliances since each appliance has a different wattage.

Things you should consider including in your list of emergency equipment include:

• A lighter or matches
• A flashlight and spare batteries
• Several Candles
• A whistle (one that can be heard even over the worst storm)

For more suggestions, visit our Storm Prep Page.

While it may not be the first thing on your mind, it’s important to stay clean and comfortable even when you don’t have power. Make sure you have enough clean clothes and socks as well as any medications you’ll need.

Pro Tip: Make a Checklist to be sure you don’t forget anything.

Close off the warmest rooms – if there’s a room with two outside walls that gets warmer than the rest of the house, close the door. And it may seem obvious, but wear thin, loose fitting clothing. 

Having a portable generator can provide back-up power to run your core electrical appliances like your HVAC system.

You can still have fun even without electricity! Board games like monopoly, chess, and checkers are a fun way to pass the time. Reading a book or playing a musical instrument are other great options. Don’t know how to play? It can be the perfect time to learn. 

A portable generator can play a big part in your entertainment since it can power or charge the devices you use for entertainment.

Communicate with your neighbors (even in campsites) to see if they are doing okay. If you have a portable generator and your neighbor doesn’t have one, ask if you could offer help and vice versa.