How to Stay Informed During a Power Outage

A power outage can interrupt your usual information routine as well as your lights. Build a small plan that works if home Wi-Fi, a phone charger or one information source stops working. The useful question is which backup you can actually operate when you need it.

Prepare an information kit

Keep a charged power bank, the correct charging cable, a battery-powered radio and a paper contact sheet together. Test the cable with your phone and check which batteries the radio uses. Equipment stored in separate drawers is harder to find in the dark.

Write down your electricity provider, local emergency-management website and a household contact. Save essential instructions offline; a bookmark still needs an internet connection. Agree on how household members will share a short status update if normal communication is disrupted.

Choose more than one way to receive updates

A NOAA Weather Radio receiver can receive official weather and hazard broadcasts without home internet, provided it has power and local reception. AM/FM local broadcasts are another option when stations are operating. A scanner provides a different kind of information and is not a substitute for an official warning.

Read our radio comparison before choosing equipment. Check reception and alert settings in advance rather than during an outage.

Use online maps with care

When mobile data works, check your utility’s outage information and official local updates first. A Signal 911 incident map may provide additional published reports, but an empty map does not establish that power is restored or a location is safe. Site imports and agency publication can also be interrupted.

Make the plan easy to use

Put the contact sheet next to the equipment and label the cables. Recheck charging and batteries periodically. If you depend on powered medical equipment, make a separate plan with your healthcare provider. Follow local officials’ instructions during an actual outage.

Source: FEMA power-outage preparedness sheet; NWS weather-radio preparedness. This guide does not recommend or hands-on test a product and contains no affiliate links.