How to prepare for a power outage, and what to do when the lights are out

With extreme heat — or extreme weather of any kind — power outages are often in the forecast too. So Southern Californians should be prepared.

Being prepared for one type of disaster makes you far better equipped to handle other types, and pretty much all disasters require similar prep. It’s especially important to plan for the unique needs you and your loved ones may have.

What to do before a power outage

Sign up for emergency alerts

• From your county and your city. Here’s where to sign up for L.A. County and cities within it. 
• From the California Independent System Operator, which operates most of the state’s power grid and issues flex alerts. 
• From Southern California Edison.
• From L.A. Department of Water and Power.
• Know your local media outlets that can help you navigate what’s happening during the emergency. (We’re here on LAist 89.3-FM and LAist.com).

Have a go-bag with medical and pet essentials fully stocked in case you need to escape to somewhere cooler or warmer.

Basics for an emergency kit include the following:

• Food, including nonperishable food and a manual can opener.
• Water.
• Cash.
• Flashlights.
• Batteries.
• Fire extinguisher.
• Hand-crank radio.
• More on how to prepare a go-bag here and here.

Other prep essentials:

• Make sure your car’s gas tank or battery is at least half full, and plan an escape route from your neighborhood.
• Know how to open electric garage doors or gates manually.
• Identify and physically write down emergency numbers (fire department, police, hospital, doctor, relatives, neighbor, coworker) in case your phone dies or 911 call lines go out (which happened during Tropical Storm Hilary in Palm Springs, though text lines still worked).
• Have a plan for a safe place to go if you are not safe to ride out the outage at home. 
• Have a cooler and ice to keep food fresh.
• Keep your landline — it’ll likely work during a power outage.

During the outage

During an outage, Diane Castro with Southern California Edison said, it’s important to unplug and turn off everything to avoid power surges and potentially sparking a fire when power is restored. She suggested leaving one light on so you know when the power comes back.

Free backup power for medical devices

For people who rely on electric medical equipment or live in high-risk fire areas, Southern California Edison offers free portable backup batteries. Learn more about the program here.

If you do rely on battery-powered medical devices, it’s also important to let your local emergency service operators and electricity providers know that. Also have a plan for if you live in a building that uses elevators or otherwise may be difficult to get out in the case of a power outage or other emergency.

Downed power lines

Never touch a fallen power line.

Here's more advice from Southern California Edison:

• Call your power company to report downed power lines.
• Do not drive through standing water, especially not if downed power lines are in the water.
• If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, remember to exit away from downed power lines and exit by jumping from the vehicle and landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away. 
• Water and electricity don’t mix. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Do not step in or enter any water that a downed power line may be touching.

Advice from the CDC if you believe someone has been electrocuted:

1. Look first. Don't touch. The person may still be in contact with the electrical source. Touching the person may pass the current through you.
2. Call or have someone else call 911 or emergency medical help.
3. Turn off the source of electricity if possible. If not, move the source away from you and the affected person using a nonconducting object made of cardboard, plastic or wood.
4. Once the person is free of the source of electricity, check the person's breathing and pulse. If either has stopped or seems dangerously slow or shallow, begin CPR immediately.
5. If the person is faint or pale or shows other signs of shock, lay them down with the head slightly lower than the trunk of the body and the legs elevated.
6. Don't touch burns, break blisters or remove burned clothing. Electrical shock may cause burns inside the body, so be sure the person is taken to a doctor.

More resources

You can read Southern California Edison’s full list of tips for what to do before and during a power outage here. And L.A. County has more emergency preparation guidance here.

If the outage is due to high heat

It’s a bit counterintuitive, but before a flex alert — which are usually between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., when utilities ask customers to turn thermostats to no less than 78 degrees to conserve energy — pre-cool your home as much as possible and fully charge your electronics, including backup battery packs.