As It Heats Up, How To Prepare For A Power Outage

Sep 22, 2023

We’re entering the dog days of summer, which means a higher potential for planned power outages, blackouts and fires. While no announcements have been made about anticipating any, it's smart to get prepared.

As human-caused climate change makes summers hotter and longer, driving extreme weather around the world, being prepared for mayhem is an unfortunate necessity for all of us these days. At about this time last summer, for example, we had a record-long and hot heat wave that almost led to rolling power outages.

So here are some tips on how you can prepare in the event of a power outage or fire and other disasters. It’s important to remember being prepared for one type of disaster makes you far better equipped to handle other types.

Pretty much any disaster requires similar prep, and it’s especially important to plan for the unique needs you and your loved ones may have in these types of situations.

Planned power outages or blackouts are carried out by the California Independent System Operator, which manages most of the state's power grid, as well as utility providers, when demand for electricity is higher than the supply. That's often during extreme heat events. Blackouts can also be declared when there's high risk a fire could be sparked by a power line going down during high winds and other weather.

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 — Diane Castro with Southern California Edison said to pre-cool your home as much as possible and fully charge your electronics, including backup battery packs.

She said you should also:

During an outage, Castro 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 goes back on.

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.

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.