Family Safety Tips During a Power Outage : Emergency Preparedness

Family Safety Tips During a Power Outage

Stay safe during power outages with these family-focused safety tips. Learn how to protect kids, pets, food, and medical needs — plus must-have gear.

Why Families Need to Prepare for Power Outages

Power outages can strike at any time — during storms, wildfires, or even unexpected grid failures. For families, the stakes are higher: you’re not just keeping the lights on, you’re protecting kids, elderly relatives, and pets.

With the right family power outage safety plan, you can reduce stress, prevent accidents, and keep everyone calm until the lights come back on.

1. Keep Your Family Safe & Calm

• Use flashlights instead of candles. Candles can cause house fires, especially if kids or pets knock them over.

  • Recommended: Energizer LED Emergency Flashlight, Rechargeable

• Give kids glow sticks or headlamps. They feel included and less afraid when they have their own light source.

  • Kid-friendly: Glow Sticks Party Pack – Long-Lasting, 100 Count

2. Protect Food & Water

• Keep fridge/freezer doors closed. Food stays safe ~4 hours in the fridge and up to 48 hours in a full freezer.

• Stock emergency food and water. Always have at least a 3-day supply ready.

  • Must-have: Augason Farms 72-Hour Emergency Food Supply

  • Reliable: LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

3. Plan for Medical & Elderly Needs

• Backup power for medical equipment. Devices like CPAPs or oxygen machines need reliable battery backup.

  • Recommended: Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300

• Medications: Keep a small cooler and ice packs ready for items requiring refrigeration.

4. Stay Informed & Connected

• Use a hand-crank or solar radio. Stay updated on weather alerts and local emergencies.

  • Reliable: FosPower Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radio

• Keep phones alive. Conserve power, enable low-power mode, and use portable chargers.

  • Recommended: Anker Portable Charger, PowerCore 20100mAh

5. Stay Comfortable in Any Season

• Cold Weather: Gather everyone in one room, use blankets, and layer clothing. Avoid using stoves or grills indoors.

  • Warmth: Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (4-Pack)

  Hot Weather: Stay hydrated and use battery-powered fans or cooling towels.

  • Cool-down: O2COOL Portable Battery Operated Fan

6. Build a Family Power Outage Kit

Create a kit that’s easy to grab in an emergency. Include:

• Flashlights (1 per person)Energizer LED Emergency Flashlight, Rechargeable

• Glow sticks for kids Glow Sticks Party Pack – Long-Lasting, 100 Count

• Portable power bank Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300

• Hand-crank radio FosPower Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radio

• 3-day food & water supply Augason Farms 72-Hour Emergency Food Supply

• First aid kit

• Blankets / comfort items

• Pet food & supplies

  Need a full breakdown? Download our Family Emergency Preparedness Checklist

Family Safety First

Power outages don’t have to be overwhelming. With preparation, your family can stay safe, calm, and comfortable until power is restored.

Take action today:

• Stock your family power outage kit.

• Download your free preparedness checklist.

• Add key items like flashlights, radios, and portable power supplies to your emergency gear.

Don’t wait until the next outage. Start building your family’s power outage kit today.