Imagine a scenario where you wake up in the middle of the night to total darkness because the power is out. In this situation, it’s easy to panic (especially if you have kids, pets or a fear of the dark). But most power outages are nothing to panic about as long as you know what to do.

Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to help you stay calm, stay safe and get things back to normal.

What You Should Do in Case of a Power Outage

• Stay calm and stay put

Don’t immediately jump out of bed and start walking around in the dark. Because you can easily trip over something, hit your toe or knock down your dog’s water bowl. 

So, always have a flashlight within reach on your nightstand or in a nearby drawer for this kind of situation. If you don’t have one, use your phone’s flashlight to see through the dark.

Avoid using candles if you can. They can cause fire hazards especially when you’re half-awake and fumbling around.

If you must use candles, make sure your smoke alarms are functioning to reduce fire risk in case of an accident.

• Check if its just your house

Once you’ve been able to get a light, try to figure out if it’s just your home or a general issue in the neighborhood. Check through your windows and confirm if the streetlights are on or if your neighbors still have light.

Next, check your breaker panel. If a breaker has tripped, then you need to reset it. But if the breaker looks fine and the power’s still out, then it could be a general problem or there’s something wrong somewhere in your home’s electrical system.

• Turn off major appliances

If your microwave, water heater, or AC was running when the power went out, switch them off or unplug them. This also protects your lights and power points from damage due to sudden power surges. When the electricity comes back on, a sudden surge could damage your devices or trip the breakers all over again. 

• Call the Power Company or an Emergency Electrician 

If you’ve confirmed the problem is a general one, contact your power company. They have 24/7 hotlines or online outage maps you can check. But if you smell something burning, hear a buzzing noise or see sparks anywhere, just call a licensed emergency electrician right away. Those are signs of something more serious and they require professional attention, fast.

• Stay safe until power returns

Try not to open the fridge or freezer especially if it’s already cold outside. If it’s hot, open the windows and ensure to drink lots of water. Also, keep a power bank charged so you can keep your phone on to communicate with the emergency electrician. 

Conclusion 

Waking up in total darkness can ruin your night’s rest, but these things happen and you can only be ahead of the situation by proper preparation. All you have to do is stay calm and follow the steps explained in this article and you’ll manage the situation properly.

And if you experience frequent blackouts and power outages, it may mean that your home’s electrical system is faulty and you should consider scheduling regular electrical maintenance before the next unexpected power outage.