Outage Preparedness
Power Outage Preparedness Center
A practical guide for Northeast Ohio homeowners — before, during, and after an outage.
Northeast Ohio homeowners face a wide range of outage risks — lake-effect snowstorms, summer thunderstorms, ice storms, and aging grid infrastructure in older city neighborhoods. This guide covers practical steps you can take before, during, and after a power outage to protect your home, your family, and your critical systems.
Before an Outage
Preparation is the most important phase. Homeowners who have taken steps before an outage recover faster and experience fewer secondary problems such as flooded basements, spoiled food, or frozen pipes.
- ▸Know your utility provider and outage reporting number. FirstEnergy, Ohio Edison, and AEP Ohio all have separate outage maps and reporting lines. Save the number in your phone before you need it.
- ▸Identify your critical circuits. Know which circuits power your furnace, sump pump, well pump, refrigerator, and medical equipment. This information is essential for generator sizing.
- ▸Inspect your sump pump system. Test the float switch, check the discharge line for obstructions, and confirm the pump is operational before storm season.
- ▸Maintain a three-day supply of essentials. Water, shelf-stable food, flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener, and any prescription medications.
- ▸Consider a standby generator. An automatic standby generator starts within seconds of an outage and runs on natural gas or propane — no manual setup, no extension cords, no fuel storage.
During an Outage
- ▸Report the outage immediately. Utilities prioritize repairs based on outage volume. Reporting promptly helps your neighborhood get on the restoration list faster.
- ▸Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. A full freezer maintains safe temperatures for approximately 48 hours. A half-full freezer holds for about 24 hours.
- ▸Monitor your sump pit. During heavy rain, check the pit level every hour if you do not have a backup power source. A flooded basement can cause thousands of dollars in damage within minutes.
- ▸Never run a portable generator indoors or in a garage. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of generator-related deaths. Keep portable generators at least 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.
- ▸Protect sensitive electronics. Unplug computers, televisions, and appliances to prevent damage from power surges when utility power is restored.
After an Outage
- ▸Check your sump pump. Confirm it is still operational and the discharge line is clear after the event.
- ▸Inspect food safety. Discard any refrigerated food that was above 40°F for more than two hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
- ▸Schedule a generator service appointment. If your standby generator ran for an extended period, it may need an oil change, filter inspection, or battery check before the next event.
- ▸Evaluate your preparedness gaps. What was the most stressful part of the outage? Use that answer to guide your next preparedness investment — whether that is a generator, a battery backup sump pump, or a larger propane tank.