POWER OUTAGE

BEFORE THE POWER GOES OUT

• Buy a portable battery charger (Anker is a big brand). Maybe two. Maybe a solar battery charger. As for regular batteries, if you buy some, check that they work. I learned the hard way that Amazon sells packages of totally dead batteries.
• Buy a UPS (or two). A line interactive UPS costs more money but your devices get protected by both boosting power in a brown-out or trimming power when needed. If your only need is a big backup battery for a power outage, then a cheaper standby class UPS will do. A UPS is great for your modem and router (or combination box if that's what you have). This way, if your ISP is still up and running, your home Internet and VoIP telephone service will work during the outage.
• Still another option for charging electronics is a car battery. Have an adapter for this on hand.
• Download the Google Maps map for your area. It can work using nothing but GPS, no Internet needed. In an emergency, you may find yourself traveling to new places.
• If fires, floods or storms happen often enough in your area, then maybe buy a satellite messenger. REI sells messengers from Garmin, Spot and ZOLEO. A subscription is required to the satellite service and there are two competing services. Some pair with a cell phone via Bluetooth, others are totally standalone, with their own screen and keyboard. Messages take a few minutes before they are sent, as a satellite has to be overhead. Some services only let you send messages, others are bi-directional. Prices vary, but a well reviewed model can be had for $200.
• Another option is a satellite phone.
• August 31, 2021.How to keep your phone charged and useful in a natural disaster by Washington Post. Some topics: Make cellphone battery last longer, Different ways to recharge your phone, Contact 911 or other assistance and Get the latest emergency updates.

WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT

• Unplug computers, modems, routers and expensive electronics. Th power may come back on with a damaging surge.
• Unplug all wires that feed into these devices. A power surge can also be transmitted over the coaxial cable used by cable TV or the phone line used by DSL
• If you have a UPS, consider plugging a lamp into it at night, preferably, one with an LED bulb.
• Put a cellphone in low power mode. iPhone: Settings -> Battery (not available on iPads). Android: maybe swipe down from the top and look for Battery Saver. Maybe Settings -> Battery. Maybe Settings -> Battery and Device Care -> Battery -> Power Saving mode.

FYI

Avoid extension cords with two male ends, as per: Why 'Suicide' Extension Cords Are So Dangerous by Tobie Stanger for Consumer Reports (October 2022). Often used with a generator, this type of male-to-male extension cord can injure or kill you.

This article in the New York Times, A New Job for Electric Vehicles: Powering Homes During Blackouts by Ivan Penn (July 16, 2023) is a bit ahead of the curve. The reporter found only one person currently using an electric car to power a house and that person had to hire experts and spend thousands of dollars to make it work. Quoting: "For now, few electric vehicles can provide backup power. But executives at Tesla ... and other automakers have said they are working on updates that will enable many more cars to do so ... Energy executives said the industry was working to improve and simplify the technology to connect electric cars to homes, something they said would happen within a few years." Time will tell.

NATURAL DISASTERS

Download Google Maps for your local area. This lets you navigate without a 4G/5G Internet connection. Google Maps can even provide turn by turn instructions using only the downloaded map and GPS (only tested on Android).

Setup emergency contacts on your phone. Both iOS and Android can do this and there are some instructions on this site in the iOS and Android topics.

Try to have at least two copies of your passwords.

Store your important files in the cloud. Do not take suggestions from the Art History majors in the tech press as to which cloud service to use. Instead, use a service that can not read your files. More here.

The U.S. government sends out Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to cellphones, however, not everyone can get them. Check that at least one cellphone in your family can. The system is spotty and complicated.

• Good news: you to do not need to sign up for WEA
• Bad news: Cell phone companies are not required to send WEAs. Of course not. Check with yours.
• Bad news: Not all smartphones can receive WEA messages. The CTIA, a wireless trade association, publishes lists of WEA-capable phones. Still, it is best to check with your cell phone provider.
• Bad news: Some wireless carriers let their customers block alerts involving imminent threats to safety of life and/or AMBER Alerts. Don't do that.
• More from the FTC: Wireless Emergency Alerts.

August 29, 2023 (last updated): How to Prepare Your Phone and Electronics for Hurricanes or Other Natural Disasters by Cordilia James for the Wall Street Journal.

1. iPhone 14 users can use the Emergency SOS via Satellite service to contact emergency services when there is no cell service. Run a test to familiarize yourself with the process. You need to be outdoors with a clear view of the sky. Settings -> Emergency SOS -> under Emergency SOS via satellite, tap Try Demo and follow the instructions. Older iPhones can not do this. Most (all?) Android phones can not do this.
2. For backup satellite communication, consider a specialized satellite-messaging device from Garmin or Motorola. They typically cost $400 or less, plus monthly service fees. But they are probably better at contacting a satellite and they let you communicate with anyone. The iPhone 14 feature only communicates with emergency services.
3. Sign up for power-outage text alerts by following instructions from your electric company.

Consumer Reports: 12 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe and Connected in an Emergency by Tobie Stanger. Last Updated August 28, 2023. The article has both computing and non-computing suggestions. Some suggestions:

• Make sure every phone in the family has key contacts in its address book. Also print the contact information for key people.
• In a crisis, text rather than call
• The Facebook crisis response hub (www.facebook.com/crisisresponse) is like a bulletin board for each crisis

Consumer Reports: How to Prepare Your Electronic Devices for a Natural Disaster by Allen St. John. Last Updated August 23, 2023. FEMA suggestions for a Go Bag. If there are children to amuse, then either download videos or be prepared to play DVDs. Take photos of your stuff for insurance purposes.