What stops working when the power fails?
Think through what depends on electricity in your home. Well pumps, furnace blowers, refrigerators, freezers, sump pumps, garage doors, electric medical equipment and many phones and internet routers all go quiet.
Write the list down. Then ask, for each item, what you will do without it for one day, three days and a week.
Sump pumps, security systems and electric gates also stop working. Decide in advance how you will leave the property if the garage door will not open. Check that your cordless phone, if you have a landline, still works without power. Many cordless base units depend on household electricity.
How do you prepare water and food?
Store drinking water ahead of time, since well pumps stop. Ready.gov has guidance on amounts and storage. Keep shelf-stable food you will actually eat, plus a manual can opener and a way to cook safely.
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. The CDC and USDA publish guidance on food safety after outages, so check their advice before eating food that has warmed.
Rotate food and water on a schedule, and check expiration dates twice a year. A small stock that stays fresh beats a large one that spoils. Have a plan for pets and livestock feed too, and keep medicine for animals in a cool place where it will keep working.
- Stored water for people and animals
- Shelf-stable foods and a manual can opener
- A cooler and ice for key items
- A thermometer for the fridge and freezer
How do you stay warm or cool safely?
Heat is the greatest hazard in winter and in summer. Dress in layers, gather in one room and close off others. In hot weather, move to the coolest part of the house, drink fluids and know where a cooling center is.
Never use a gas stove, grill or portable heater indoors for heat unless it is made for it. Carbon monoxide can kill without warning. Keep carbon monoxide alarms working on battery power.
Warm and cool shelter matter most for older adults, babies and anyone ill. Call your county health office for advice on warming and cooling centers in your area. Do not use a charcoal grill or camp stove inside a house, garage or tent. Fuel-burning devices belong outdoors and away from windows and doors.
What about medicines and medical needs?
If anyone depends on electric medical equipment, refrigerated medicine or oxygen, talk to their doctor and your provider about a backup plan. Ask your provider if they keep a list of customers with medical needs.
Keep a list of medicines and doses, and an extra supply if your doctor agrees. Know where the nearest hospital and urgent care are.
Hearing aids, oxygen concentrators, feeding pumps, CPAP machines and insulin storage all deserve a specific plan written with a health provider, not guesses.
How do you stay in touch?
Charge phones and power banks before a storm. Keep a battery or hand-crank radio tuned to weather alerts. The National Weather Service posts warnings, and your county may have an alert system you can sign up for.
Cell service can fail too. Agree with family on a place to meet and a person outside the area to check in with.
Write down your provider's outage number and the number for county emergency management. When a phone is low on battery, a paper list still works.
What about animals and the farm?
Plan for water, feed and shelter for animals. Barn ventilation, milking equipment, incubators and electric fences all depend on power. Know which tasks need hand methods and what you will do if a generator fails.
Ask your vet and extension agent about plans for your animals, especially heat and cold stress.
Check on older neighbors by phone or in person, once it is safe to travel. Isolation makes outages dangerous for people who live alone.
How do you build a plan that works?
Write a one-page plan and keep copies where everyone can find them. Include contacts, utility numbers, medical needs, water, heat and a list of neighbors who might need a check-in.
Practice a short outage. Turn off the main breaker for an evening and see what you missed. Then fix the gaps.
After the outage, review the plan and replace what you used. Make a note of what to buy or practice before the next event. Share your plan with someone outside your household. If you cannot be reached, they will know where to start.
Key takeaways
- List what stops working and what you will do without it.
- Store water and food, and keep refrigerator doors shut.
- Use carbon monoxide alarms and never run fuel burning devices indoors.
- Make a one-page plan and practice it.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Rural Farm Life Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.