When the Power Goes Out
The first 72 hours: fridge, heat, light, phones - in the order they matter
The power just went out. What do you do in the first 10 minutes - and what can wait until morning?
The 4-hour fridge rule and the 48-hour freezer rule; one warm room or one cool room; the generator rule (20 feet, exhaust away); the Keep It or Toss It tree
17 cards - 10 minutes to start - 1-6 people
$19 - instant PDF, 30 pages, printable
30-day money-back guarantee - you keep the PDF.
The key numbers come from USDA, CDC, FEMA and NOAA - listed in the back.
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Add the Printable Quick Cards for $7 with one tick on the checkout page.
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What you'll do with it
- Start the fridge clock. About 4 hours for a closed fridge, about 48 for a full freezer (USDA). The guide shows what to eat first and what to toss.
- Keep the house livable when it's hot or cold - one room, closed off, done right, with the carbon monoxide rules every home needs.
- Size a power station in 5 minutes for your fridge, phones and lights - or a CPAP - on one worksheet.
- Place the generator right: at least 20 feet from the house, never in the garage, a battery CO alarm on every sleeping floor.
- Tape the 72-Hour Checklist inside a kitchen cabinet, so nobody has to think in the dark.
Look inside
Real pages from this guide. Tap a page to see it up close.
Start here
Where to begin, and every card with its page number.
One action per page
Time, cost, the steps in order, and what not to do.
Pages you fill in
Your family's own numbers, written down before you need them.
What's inside
- The First 10 Minutes
- Start the Fridge Clock
- Is It Just Us?
- Phones and Light
- Keep or Toss
- Eat in the Right Order
- Well Water and Boil-Water Notices
- One Warm Room (Cold Outage)
- One Cool Room (Hot Outage)
- When to Go Somewhere Else
- The Generator Rules
- Size a Power Station in 5 Minutes
- Charging From the Car
- Medicine and Medical Devices
- Downed Power Lines
- Cooking Without Power
- When the Power Comes Back
The key numbers come from USDA, CDC, FEMA and NOAA - listed in the back.
This weekend
- Put a flashlight or headlamp by every bed, with spare batteries.
- Put a battery CO alarm on every sleeping floor and test each one.
- Charge every power bank and the power station, and write the date on each.
Try it for 30 days. If it doesn't help, email us and we'll refund you.
Also in
- The Blackout Bundle - $36 (Bought one by one: $52)
- The First Weekend Bundle - $37 (Bought one by one: $53)
- The Parents' Home Bundle - $50 (Bought one by one: $71)
- The Winter Storm Bundle - $35 (Bought one by one: $50)
- The Tornado Bundle - $35 (Bought one by one: $50)
- The Extreme Heat Bundle - $35 (Bought one by one: $50)
Questions people ask
- Is this a printed book?
- No - it's an instant PDF. Print it at home on US Letter paper, or keep it on your phone.
- Does it work where I live?
- Yes. The guides are written for American homes in every state: gallons, °F, US weather and US stores.
- Do I need to buy a lot of gear?
- No. Most first steps use what's already in your house. When you're ready to buy, the guide shows what comes first.
- Is this medical advice?
- No. It's planning information. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or equipment supplier about medicines and medical devices.
- How do I get it?
- Right after you pay: a download on the thank-you page, and an email with your download links. The links keep working.
- How is this different from the Personal Plan?
- A guide shows you how to get ready. The Personal Plan does the math for your household - your gallons, your days of food, your battery size and a shopping list.
Questions? Email get-ready@myrainydayplan.com.
$19 - instant PDF, 30 pages, printable
30-day money-back guarantee - you keep the PDF.
Want the numbers worked out for your family?
The guides show you how. The Personal Plan does the math for your household - your gallons of water, your days of food, the battery size for your devices, and a shopping list. It starts with 5 free questions.
Take the free 60-second check