Citywide Blackout? Here’s What to Do When the Power Goes Out Everywhere

Power outages can be annoying — but when the entire city goes dark, it’s a whole different situation. Whether caused by a storm, equipment failure, or grid overload, knowing what to do (and not do) during a citywide outage can keep your home safe, your family calm, and your electronics protected.

⚡ First, Confirm It's Not Just Your Home

Before you assume the whole city is out, check a few things:

Look outside — are your neighbors’ homes and streetlights dark too?

Check your breaker box. If only your home is affected, you might have a tripped breaker or blown fuse.

Use your phone to visit your utility company’s outage map (like Eversource or UI in Connecticut) to confirm a widespread issue.

🧠 Stay Calm — Here’s What You Should Do

🔋 1. Preserve Your Battery Power

Turn your phone on battery saver mode.

Close unused apps.

Use flashlights, not your phone flashlight, to preserve power.

🚪 2. Unplug Major Electronics

TVs, computers, and sensitive appliances can get damaged when the power comes back with a surge.

Leave one lamp plugged in so you’ll know when power returns.

🧊 3. Keep Refrigerator & Freezer Doors Closed

Food can stay cold for about 4 hours in a fridge and 48 hours in a full freezer.

Avoid opening unless necessary.

📻 4. Use a Battery-Powered Radio (If You Have One)

Tune into local stations for outage updates and emergency information.

🚰 5. Conserve Water If You're on a Well

No power = no well pump.

Use stored water sparingly and avoid flushing if possible.

⛔ What NOT to Do During a Citywide Power Outage

Don't use candles unsupervised — they can easily cause a fire.

Don’t run a generator indoors — it releases deadly carbon monoxide.

Don’t open the electrical panel if you’re not sure what you’re doing.

Don’t assume all downed wires are dead — stay far away and report them immediately.

🧯 Bonus: What Happens After Power Returns?

When electricity comes back, turn appliances and electronics back on slowly — don’t overload your circuits all at once. If anything seems off (like burning smells, tripped breakers, or flickering lights), call a licensed electrician immediately to make sure nothing was damaged.

💡 Final Tip: Prepare Before It Happens

Keep backup batteries, flashlights, and non-perishable food on hand.

Consider installing a whole-home surge protector or a backup generator.

Save your utility provider’s outage number in your phone.