What to do when the power goes out: the first hour

What should I do first when the power goes out?

In the first 15 minutes, work out whether the outage is yours alone, then report it, unplug appliances and stop opening the fridge. Safety comes before everything else: if anyone is hurt, a wire is down or you smell smoke, call emergency services first.

Do these in order:

1. Look outside. Check whether your neighbours have power. The Met Office gives this as the first check.
2. Check your own breaker, fuse box or safety switch if the neighbours still have power. Canada.ca lists this as the second step.
3. Report the outage if the neighbours are out too. The Met Office says to report it yourself, because you cannot assume someone already has.
4. Unplug or switch off appliances such as irons, ovens, electric fires and fryers. Canada.ca says to unplug tools, appliances and electronic equipment, and Energy Safe Victoria warns appliances could start a fire if power returns when no one is around.
5. Leave one light on so you notice when power returns, and use a torch or battery lantern for everything else.
6. Close the fridge and freezer and keep them closed.

Is it just my house or the whole street?

If your neighbours have power and you do not, the fault is probably inside your home, at the breaker, fuse or safety switch. If they are out too, the fault is on the network.

Energy Safe Victoria says to find the electricity box and see whether the safety switch has tripped. If it has, reset it. If it will not reset, call a licensed electrician.

Do not touch the switchboard or anything metal if lights are dull or flickering. If the neighbours are also out, report it to your network operator.

How do I report a power outage in the US, UK, Canada and Australia?

Report to your network operator or utility, not your retailer. Dial 105 in England, Scotland and Wales. The number depends on the country, and in the US, Canada and Australia on your area.

Country	Who to call	Number or route	Safe distance from fallen lines	Checked on
US	Your electric utility	No national number appears in CDC guidance. Use your utility’s outage line or app.	CDC says never touch a fallen line	2026-10-26
UK (Great Britain)	Your local network operator	105, free (UK government)	Treat as live; call 999 if anyone is in danger	2026-10-26
Canada	Your power or hydro company	Varies by province. Canada.ca says to contact your power or hydro company.	Not stated on the Canada.ca page; ask your utility	2026-10-26
Australia	Your distributor, for example Ausgrid	Ausgrid 13 13 88 (24 hours); Energy Safe Victoria lists CitiPower 13 12 80	Ausgrid 8 m; Energy Safe Victoria 8 to 10 m	2026-10-26

Australian numbers depend on your distributor. Find its number under “Faults and emergencies” on your bill. Do not call 911, 999 or 000 for a plain outage. Use them for fallen lines with people at risk, fire, electric shock or a medical emergency.

In Northern Ireland, call 03457 643643 instead of 105 (UK government).

What should I do in the first hour?

In the first hour, keep the fridge closed, light the home safely, stay warm or cool, and check on anyone nearby who relies on power.

• Lighting. CDC and Canada.ca both advise flashlights and battery lanterns instead of candles, to lower fire risk.
• Information. Canada.ca suggests a battery or wind-up radio, because phone and internet service may also fail.
• Neighbours. The Met Office says to check whether neighbours have power. Check on anyone nearby who relies on powered equipment.

What should I do during a power outage at night?

At night, use battery lights, keep one light switched on and stay put unless there is a hazard.

Keep a torch or headlamp within reach of the bed. CDC advises battery lights over candles, gas lanterns and torches that burn fuel. If the outage is also a winter storm, dress in layers and stay in one room to hold the warmth; our guide to staying warm without power covers the rest.

Do not use a gas oven, grill or camping stove to heat the room. CDC says never to use charcoal grills or camping stoves inside a home, or a gas oven to heat it, because of carbon monoxide (CO). See cooking with a gas stove in an outage for safe options. Signs of CO include headache, dizziness, nausea and confusion. If a CO alarm sounds, Canada.ca says to leave the home at once and call 911 from outside.

What do I do about the fridge and freezer?

Keep both closed. A closed fridge keeps food safe for up to 4 hours, according to CDC. The UK Food Standards Agency gives the same figure.

A full freezer stays frozen for about 48 hours and a half-full one for about 24 hours, according to the UK Food Standards Agency.

CDC says to discard refrigerated perishables after power has been off for 4 hours or more, and thawed perishable foods from the freezer. Food that still has ice crystals and feels as cold as refrigerated food can be refrozen or cooked. Our guide to how long food lasts in a fridge or freezer without power has a keep-or-toss table and a worked example.

What should I do at 4 hours and 24 hours?

At 4 hours, decide about the fridge food. At 24 hours, plan for an outage that may last days: water, warmth, medicines and a place to go.

Time	Do this	Source
0 to 15 minutes	Look outside, check breaker, report, unplug, leave one light on	Canada.ca, Met Office, CDC
15 to 60 minutes	Battery lights only, radio, check neighbours, keep fridge shut	Canada.ca, Met Office
4 hours	Fridge limit reached. Discard refrigerated perishables if power has been off 4 hours or more	CDC
24 hours	Half-full freezer reaching its limit. Discard refrigerated medicines unless the label says otherwise; if your life depends on one, keep using it until a new supply arrives. Move somewhere warm or cool if the home is unsafe	UK FSA, CDC
48 hours	Full freezer reaching its limit (estimate)	UK FSA

CDC says to throw away medicines that need refrigeration after a day or more without power, unless the label says otherwise. If a life depends on the drug, use it only until a new supply is available and replace it as soon as possible. Call a pharmacist or doctor for insulin or other critical medicines. If you rely on powered medical equipment, agree a plan with your clinician before an outage.

Outages often run longer than expected, as how long power outages last shows. If you are building a backup plan, our power outage emergency kit guide lists what to stock by household size.

When the power comes back, what do I do?

When power returns, wait and reconnect gradually. Canada.ca says to give the electrical system time to stabilise before reconnecting tools and appliances.

Its sequence is: turn the heating thermostats up first, reconnect the fridge and freezer, then wait 10 to 15 minutes before reconnecting other appliances. Check food against the 4-hour rule before you eat it.

Is it safe to use a generator?

A generator is safe only outdoors, at least 20 feet (6 m) from any window, door or vent. CDC says never to run one inside a home, basement or garage.

Energy Safe Victoria says never to use a portable generator indoors or in enclosed areas, including garages and tents. Ask a licensed electrician before connecting one to your home wiring. Exact spacing is in how far a generator must sit from your house.