Emergency Supplies for a Power Outage: 72-Hour Checklist
- Emergency Supplies for a Power Outage Checklist
- How to Prepare a 72-Hour Power Outage Emergency Kit
- How to Plan Emergency Lighting for a Power Outage
- How Much Emergency Power Do You Need?
- What to Do When the Power Goes Out
- How to Store and Maintain Your Power Outage Emergency Kit
- Build and Test Your Kit Before the Next Outage
- FAQs About Emergency Supplies for a Power Outage
A complete set of emergency supplies for a power outage should support every household member for at least 72 hours.
Store sufficient water and ready-to-eat food, safe lighting, medications, communication equipment, warm clothing, pet supplies, and a planned emergency power source.
Canadian winter storms can remove heating, running water, phone service, and refrigeration at the same time, while high winds, thunderstorms, wildfire-related shutoffs, floods, and equipment failures can create similar problems in other seasons.
Your plan must cover basic supplies, household-specific health needs, and the electrical devices your family cannot safely lose.
We’ll help you assemble the kit, plan safer lighting, and estimate backup power for the devices your household relies on.
Emergency Supplies for a Power Outage Checklist
Your kit should keep everyone hydrated, fed, warm, informed, and able to leave safely.
Category | What to Store | Planning Note |
Water | Drinking water plus water for cooking and hygiene. | Plan for every person and pet. |
Food | Three days of non-perishable food and a manual can opener. | Avoid meals that need an electric stove. |
Lighting | Flashlights, headlamps, LED lanterns, power-failure lights, and batteries. | Keep a light near each sleeping area. |
Communication | A hand-crank radio, charged phones, power banks, and contacts. | Save key numbers offline. |
Health | First aid, prescriptions, medical records, and hygiene supplies. | Plan for refrigerated medicine and powered devices. |
Warmth | Layers, blankets, sleeping bags, hats, gloves, and winter footwear. | Prepare for falling indoor temperatures. |
Pets | Food, water, medicine, bedding, a carrier, leash, and records. | Pack at least 72 hours of supplies. |
Safety | Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms with battery backup, a whistle, and basic tools. | Test alarms regularly and replace weak batteries. |
Documents | Identification copies, insurance details, cash, spare keys, and a local map. | Protect paper copies in a waterproof pouch. |
Power | Spare batteries, power banks, and a suitable backup source. | Match stored energy and output to priority devices. |
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The first five priorities are water, food, lighting, first aid and medication, plus communication and charging equipment. Add the remaining categories as soon as possible.
How to Prepare a 72-Hour Power Outage Emergency Kit
BC Hydro recommends at least two litres of drinking water per person each day, plus extra water for cooking and cleaning.
Add three days of food your household already eats, including infant formula, dietary items, and pet food.
Build the base kit in the following order so essentials are ready before you add supplies for individual health, mobility, or pet needs.
Count every person and pet, then calculate water and food for three full days.
Choose canned meals, crackers, nut butter, dried fruit, cereal, and shelf-stable milk that need little preparation.
Add a manual can opener, utensils, hygiene products, first aid, safe lighting, a radio, and charging equipment.
Place supplies in labelled backpacks, duffel bags, or wheeled containers that household members can carry.
Test the equipment, record expiry dates, and show everyone where the kit and personal medications are stored.
Prepare for Low Temperatures and Loss of Heat
Winter outages can lower indoor temperatures and freeze plumbing. Store layered clothing, warm bedding, gloves, hats, and footwear, then identify a heated location if your home becomes unsafe.
Learn how to shut off and drain the household water system. Keep battery equipment within the temperatures listed in its manual because cold conditions can reduce performance.
Plan for Pets, Medications, and Medical Equipment
Pack prescriptions, medical information, spare eyewear, mobility supplies, and required cold packs.
The Government of Canada recommends planning for refrigerated medicine, powered or internet-dependent medical equipment, and evacuation without elevators.
Discuss critical medication and equipment with your healthcare provider before an outage. Your pet plan should include food, water, medicine, warmth, a carrier or leash, and an evacuation destination that accepts animals.
How to Plan Emergency Lighting for a Power Outage
Effective emergency lighting for a power outage uses several light types instead of one flashlight. A layered set of emergency lights for power outages helps you move safely, complete tasks, and preserve spare batteries.
Automatic Power-Failure Lights
A household power failure emergency light stays plugged in, charges while utility power is available, and switches on when service stops.
Place these lights near stairs, hallways, bedrooms, and main exits so sudden darkness does not block a safe route.
These household lights are different from commercial exit signs or building-code emergency systems. Renters and condo residents should also follow building rules.
Headlamps, Lanterns, and Flashlights
Your emergency lights for a power outage should serve different tasks. Headlamps keep both hands free, LED lanterns light a room, and flashlights help you inspect equipment or move outside.
The Canadian Red Cross recommends flashlights instead of candles because open flames increase fire risk around children, pets, blankets, and unattended rooms.
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How Much Emergency Power Do You Need?
Your emergency power source must cover essential devices, their combined output, and the required operating time. The following comparison separates small-device backup from systems intended for larger or longer loads.
Power Source | Suitable Uses |
Replaceable or rechargeable batteries | Flashlights, radios, and small safety devices. |
USB power bank | Phones and other USB-powered electronics. |
Portable power stations | Lights, communication devices, computers, and selected appliances. |
Broader loads through a compatible installed system. | |
Fuel generator | Larger or longer loads when operated outdoors and connected safely. |
For lighting, phones, a router, laptops, and selected appliances, a compact 1 kWh-class unit may be an appropriate starting point. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic Portable Power Station (1024Wh) combines 1,024Wh capacity with 1800W rated AC output for this type of plan.
List the Devices That Must Stay Powered
Prioritize health and safety equipment. Start with medical needs, medication refrigeration, lighting, phones, radio, and food refrigeration, then add work equipment if capacity remains.
Record each device’s running watts, expected daily operating time, and startup surge when applicable. Do not assume an electric heater, well pump, furnace, or full-size refrigerator behaves like a phone charger.
Compare Watts and Watt-Hours
Watts measure the power a device requires at one moment. Watt-hours measure the stored energy available over time.
Use the following planning formula for a rough estimate:
Estimated runtime = battery capacity in Wh × usable efficiency ÷ average load in W
The result is not guaranteed. Inverter losses, startup surges, appliance cycling, cold temperatures, operating mode, and battery age can shorten runtime.
Understand Connection Limits
A standard portable power station supplies compatible devices connected directly to its outlets. It does not automatically power hardwired circuits, a furnace, or a well pump.
An approved home connection must match the system and may require a qualified electrician. Fuel generators must operate outdoors at least 6 metres from buildings, with exhaust away from openings, and must never connect through a wall outlet.
Households planning for several plug-in essentials or longer operating periods may need more stored energy and output. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus Portable Power Station (2048Wh) provides 2,048Wh capacity and 3000W output, giving these plans more headroom while still requiring approved equipment for any hardwired connection.
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What to Do When the Power Goes Out
Act methodically when service stops. Here is what you should do when your power goes out:
Check if the outage affects only your home or the surrounding area.
Report the outage and monitor official utility and weather updates.
Use flashlights, headlamps, or lanterns instead of candles.
Unplug sensitive electronics and leave one light switched on.
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
Conserve phone and backup-battery capacity for essential communication.
Monitor indoor temperatures and add warm layers before conditions become unsafe.
Follow your medical plan and check children, older adults, neighbours, and pets.
Never use barbecues, camp stoves, or outdoor fuel-burning heaters indoors.
Move to a safe location if extreme cold, flooding, fire, or a medical need makes the home unsafe.
Our guide on how to prepare for and recover from a power outage provides broader before-and-after guidance.
How to Store and Maintain Your Power Outage Emergency Kit
Store your power outage emergency kit in a dry, accessible indoor location near an exit instead of behind seasonal clutter.
Keep evacuation supplies in backpacks or wheeled containers, place bulk water beside them, and store a flashlight within reach of each sleeping area.
A dated maintenance routine prevents expired supplies and flat batteries from becoming unpleasant surprises.
Include these practical checks in every review:
Inspect food, water containers, prescriptions, and pet supplies for expiry, leakage, or damage.
Test flashlights, lanterns, radios, power-failure lights, and backup batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Recharge power banks and power stations as directed in their manuals, then keep the correct cables and adapters with them.
Update printed contacts, medical details, pet records, and seasonal clothing as household needs change.
Write the next review date on the container. Repeat the process at least annually and before the severe-weather season most relevant to your region.
Build and Test Your Kit Before the Next Outage
Assemble your emergency supplies for a power outage before severe weather reaches your area. Label the containers, test every light, charge backup equipment, and practise who will collect medications, pet supplies, and documents if your household needs to leave.
Once you know the wattage and operating time of your essential devices, explore our portable power station collection to compare suitable capacities and outputs. Confirm current availability, connection requirements, and temperature limits before choosing a model for your emergency plan.
FAQs About Emergency Supplies for a Power Outage
1. What food should you stock for a power outage?
Store three days of ready-to-eat, non-perishable food like canned meals, nut butter, crackers, cereal, dried fruit, and shelf-stable milk, including dietary, infant, and pet needs.
2. How do you prepare for 72 hours without power?
Store water, food, lighting, medication, first-aid supplies, communication equipment, warm clothing, pet supplies, and enough backup energy for priority devices.
3. What are the top five items to have during a power outage?
Prioritize drinking water, ready-to-eat food, safe lighting, first aid and medication, plus a radio and reliable charging method.
4. What is the best source of emergency power for a home?
Power banks cover phones, portable power stations support selected plug-in devices, and installed batteries or properly connected generators serve broader household loads.
5. Are candles safe during a power outage?
Flashlights and LED lanterns are safer because candles can start fires around children, pets, bedding, and unattended rooms.