What to do in the first 24 hours of a power outage

The power just went out. Your phone has 60% battery. The fridge is humming to a stop. Now what?

Most people grab a torch and wait. That works for an hour. But when the hour becomes two, then six, then overnight - things get uncomfortable fast. Here is what to do, step by step, to stay safe and keep your household running.

Hour 0-1: Assess and conserve

• Check if it is just you. Look outside. If your neighbours still have lights, check your fuse box. If the whole street is dark, it is a grid issue.
• Report it. Call your electricity provider now while your phone still has charge. Save the reference number.
• Switch off appliances. Turn off everything except one light, so you know when power returns. This also prevents a surge when the grid comes back.
• Open the fridge once, grab what you need, close it. An unopened fridge stays cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer lasts 24-48 hours.

Hours 1-6: Get comfortable

• Lighting: Candles work but battery lanterns are safer, especially with children or pets around.
• Phone: Switch to low-power mode. Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth. You need this for communication, not entertainment.
• Water: Fill your bathtub and any large containers. If the outage is widespread, water pumping stations may also lose power.
• Food: Eat perishables first. Save tinned and dry food for later.

Hours 6-24: Settle in

• Temperature: In winter, close off rooms you do not need and gather in one space. Layer clothing. In summer, stay on the lowest floor and keep curtains closed.
• Information: A battery-powered or hand-crank radio is your best friend. Local stations will have updates before social media does.
• Neighbours: Check on elderly or vulnerable people nearby. Share resources if you can.
• Cash: Card payments will not work. Have some cash accessible at home - a lesson most people learn the hard way.

The real lesson

A 24-hour power outage is not dangerous. It is inconvenient. But it is also a preview of what happens when things go wrong for longer. The people who handle it calmly are the ones who thought about it once, for 10 minutes, before it happened.

That is exactly what The Book You Should Never Read is for. Not for survivalists. For normal people who would rather have a plan and never need it than need a plan and not have one.