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    Blackout Kit

    Power outages happen. Be ready.

    Essentials

    • Flashlights — 2-3 + spare batteries.
    • Headlamp — hands-free.
    • Power bank — Anker 20K mAh ($50). Charge it monthly.
    • Battery / crank radio — emergency news.
    • Phone car charger.
    • $100-200 cash — ATMs may be down.
    • Manual can opener.
    • Battery candles — never real candle near oxygen.
    • Solar lantern — Goal Zero, MPOWERD.

    Senior medical concerns

    • Refrigerated medications (insulin) — cooler + ice.
    • CPAP backup battery — if you use one.
    • Oxygen concentrator backup — call utility for "medical baseline" priority restoration.
    • Power chair / scooter charging — keep car ready as backup charger.
    • Medication doesn't freeze — keep inside home.

    Generator considerations

    • Portable — $500-1,500. Need to manually start.
    • Solar generator (Jackery, EcoFlow) — silent, indoor-safe. $500-2,500.
    • Standby (whole house) — $5K-15K + install. Auto-starts.
    • NEVER run portable generator inside or in garage — CO kills.
    • Solar = best for seniors (no fuel, silent, indoor-safe).

    Food during blackout

    • Keep refrigerator + freezer doors CLOSED.
    • Fridge stays cold ~4 hours, freezer ~48 hours.
    • Stock canned soup, peanut butter, crackers.
    • Bottled water — 1 gallon/person/day.
    • Pet food.
    • Camping stove + pots if extended outage.

    Sign up for utility alerts

    Most utilities send text alerts when outage starts + estimates restoration. Sign up via utility website. Better than calling repeatedly. Critical info during big storms.