Drill / 03
The one-hour power-outage test.
A short rehearsal can show whether your household has light, water, food, medication and communication covered after the convenience systems stop.
Power outages create secondary problems: a refrigerator is opened repeatedly, a phone becomes the only light, a generator is moved too close to a door, or a refrigerated medicine plan is unclear. CDC guidance emphasizes that outages can create carbon-monoxide, food, water and medication hazards. A planned one-hour test helps you find the household-specific problem before you are tired, cold or trying to help someone else.
Set up before the timer starts
Gather a working flashlight or lantern, a charged phone and power bank, a manual can opener, drinking water, a paper contact card and the refrigerator and freezer thermometers you already use. Tell everyone that this is a rehearsal and choose a comfortable hour when no one depends on powered equipment you plan to interrupt.
The 60-minute sequence
- Minute 0–10: communication. Put phones on low-power mode. Ask each person where the paper contact card is and how they would receive an official alert if Wi-Fi failed.
- Minute 10–20: light and movement. Use only your backup light for a few minutes. Walk the route to the bathroom, exit and electrical panel. Add a light where a trip hazard appears.
- Minute 20–35: food and water. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Identify the thermometer, cooler and cold source you would use if the outage continued. CDC says a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for up to four hours; a full freezer can hold temperature for about 48 hours, and a half-full freezer about 24 hours.
- Minute 35–45: personal needs. Read the labels for medicines or devices that need power or refrigeration. Write down who you would call for guidance; do not guess about a medication’s stability.
- Minute 45–55: home safety. Check that every adult knows never to use a generator, charcoal grill or camp stove inside. Look at the location where a generator would operate outdoors and confirm its exhaust cannot enter a home or neighboring space.
- Minute 55–60: reset. Return equipment, recharge what you used and write one fix. Keep the list short enough to complete.
Turn observations into improvements
| Observation | Small improvement | Retest |
|---|---|---|
| The power bank cable did not fit the phone. | Store a tested cable with the bank and label the device. | Repeat a five-minute charge next month. |
| No one knew the out-of-area contact. | Print the contact card and place one copy in each go-bag. | Ask a child or guest to find it. |
| The bathroom route was dark. | Move a lantern or add a low-level rechargeable light. | Walk the route after dusk. |
| The medication plan was uncertain. | Ask the pharmacist for written outage guidance. | Review at the next refill. |
Keep the rehearsal on a seasonal calendar. CDC’s food-safety guidance, utility outage patterns and your household’s prescriptions may change. A short test repeated twice a year is easier to maintain than a dramatic drill that no one wants to repeat.