Staying safe during a power outage

Food, generator, heat and cold safety while the power is out, from U.S. government guidance.

Food safety

  • 0–4 hKeep the fridge closed. It keeps food cold for about 4 hours.
  • 4 h+Throw out meat, dairy and leftovers that have been above 40°F for more than 2 hours.
  • 24 hA half-full freezer holds about 24 hours if kept closed.
  • 48 hA full freezer holds about 48 hours.

Generators, heat and cold

  • Run generators outside only, at least 20 feet from windows and doors. Never in a garage.
  • Use a battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm.
  • Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven.

Downed lines and reporting

Stay at least 35 feet from a downed power line and anything touching it, and call 911 and your utility. Treat every line as live.

To get your outage fixed, report it to your utility directly. Each county, city and ZIP page here lists the utilities that serve it, with links to their outage maps.

Sources: FoodSafety.gov, Ready.gov, CDC.