Power Outages and Natural Disasters

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Power Outage, Natural Disasters, Emergency Alerts, Consumer Reports Disaster Preparation

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.
In January 2025, I heard a recommendation for the Anker SOLIX C300 Portable Power Station from Jim Salter, who I consider a very credible source. At the time, it cost $200 US both from Anker and on Amazon. Salter said it uses a different, and better, type of battery than a UPS.
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 get up to speed on using a normal cellphone to communicate via satellite. In the old days, there were dedicated a satellite phones, I don't know if they still exist.
December 6, 2024: There are LED light bulbs with built-in re-chargeable batteries. Who knew? I learned this from here: This Emergency Light Bulb Was My Saving Grace During a Weeklong Power Outage by Brandon Carte for the Wirecutter division of the New York Times. The article is about the NEBO Blackout Backup Emergency Bulb. Such is the following of the Wirecutter that the bulb was out of stock at both Walmart and Amazon, the day after this article was published.
August 20, 2024 (last updated): The Best Power Outage Tools and Supplies by Erica Ogg for the Wirecutter division of the New York Times. Topics: Portable generator, Emergency weather radio, Surge protector, Uninterruptible power supply, USB battery packs, Portable power station, Power inverter, Inflatable solar lantern, LED lantern, Flashlight, Headlamp, Water container and Board game.
August 13, 2024 (last update): A Consumer Reports guide to buying a home generator: How to Choose the Right Size Generator by Paul Hope, Tobie Stanger and Allen St. John.
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. The 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

The website PowerOutage.us is the most complete source for power outage information in the US. The website collects, records, and aggregates live power outage data from utilities all over the United States. Data is updated approximately every ten minutes. Click on a state to see more detailed info.

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 top

See the topic on Satellite Communication for the various options for communicating when there is no cell service and no Internet access.

See the Traveling topic (in the Before Leaving section) for thoughts on recovering your digital life without any of your electronics; no phone, no tablet, no computer.

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).

If a storm is approaching, take pictures of: the inside of your home, the outside of your home (from all sides) and your street/block. Backup these pictures to a cloud based file storage service.

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. If you do not yet use a cloud service for backing up files see the page here on Secure File Storage. It is best to use a service that can not read your files.

Have some waterproof bags to protect your assorted electronic devices.

I have not used one, but I have read that USB heated blankets do get warm and they can work when the power goes out.

FEMA has a mobile app: FEMA Mobile Products

June 21, 2024: This free app is the experts' choice for wildfire information by Shira Ovide in the Washington Post. The article is about Watch Duty an app that was created in 2021. It is a trustworthy source of information about wildfires. The app is mostly run by volunteers on a shoestring budget. Watch Duty is a non-profit. Information comes from official sources, video feeds of fires, and public safety radio communications.

EMERGENCY ALERTS top

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.
iOS: Settings -> Notifications -> Government Alerts section. Check the three options there. (for iOS 16 and 17)
From Apple: About emergency and government alerts on iPhone Dec 11, 2023
Android: In Settings, search for either Emergency Alerts or Wireless Emergency Alerts or Cell Broadcasts. There should be options for Extreme Threats, Severe Threats and Amber alerts. A Pixel phone will also have options for Public Safety Messages and State and local tests. (for Android 13,14)
Android 14 on Pixel phone: Settings -> Safety & Emergency -> has a number of options such as EmergencySOS and Earthquake alerts

August 30, 2024: How to Sign Up for Local Emergency Alerts Before Natural Disasters Strike by Natasha Uzcátegui-Liggett for The Markup. The article has three sections: Turn On Your iPhone's Wireless Emergency Alerts, the same for Android, and How to Find Local Alerts.

FIRE: The free Watch Duty app is universally praised for wild fire information. It currently functions in 22 states, including, of course, California. See How Watch Duty's wildfire tracking app became a crucial lifeline for LA by Abigail Bassett for The Verge. January 11, 2025. Quoting "Watch Duty, the free app that shows active fires, mandatory evacuation zones, air quality indexes, wind direction, and a wealth of other information that everyone, from firefighters to regular people, have come to rely on during this week’s historic and devastating wildfires. Watch Duty is unique in the tech world in that it doesn’t care about user engagement, time spent, or ad sales. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit behind it only cares about the accuracy of the information it provides and the speed with which the servihce can deliver that information."

LOCAL: Your local government may offer alerts. It may not work, but try to opt in by texting your Zip code to 888777. This is Everbridge Nixle.

LOCAL: Do a Google search for the name of your state and "emergency alerts" to see what they offer. Many local emergency and law enforcement agencies issue alerts on Facebook and Twitter, so follow them there.

LOCAL: Sign up for power-outage text alerts by following instructions from your electric company.

From Google: Get help during an emergency with your Android phone. The article has three sections: Prepare for an Emergency, Get help during an Emergency and Find out about earthquakes in your area. Undated.

July 7, 2022: How to never miss an emergency alert from shootings to wildfires by Heather Kelly for the Washington Post.

CONSUMER REPORTS DISASTER PREP top

How to Prepare for a Weather Emergency Tips on choosing the best generator, protecting your family and pets, and more. Last Updated September 25, 2024
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:
1. Make sure every phone in the family has key contacts in its address book. Also print the contact information for key people.
2. In a crisis, text rather than call
3. The Facebook crisis response hub (www.facebook.com/crisisresponse) is like a bulletin board for each crisis
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.