Power Outage Survival Kit Checklist: From 72 Hours to Two Weeks (2026)

Short answer: A power outage kit is built around one question: how do you keep phones charged, food cold, and the house lit and warm until the grid comes back? FEMA says plan for 72 hours. After the Texas grid collapse, multi-week hurricane outages, and ice storms that ran eleven days, the realistic planning horizon in 2026 is two weeks. Backup power is the single most valuable item in the kit, then light, then water, then a way to cook and stay warm.

Why 72 hours is no longer enough

The 72-hour standard was written when disasters were local and crews arrived within days. Modern outages are regional and long: a major hurricane, a winter ice storm, or a cascading grid failure can run one to four weeks. Most outages still resolve in three days, but a kit that only covers three days fails exactly when it matters. Build for 72 hours first, then extend the water, food, and power to two weeks.

Tier one: the first 24 hours

The first day is the most stressful: the fridge warms, phones die, and the house goes dark at sunset. Everything in this tier should be reachable in the dark.

• Backup power for phones. A lithium jump starter with USB output is the most capable battery most households own. The POD X XTREME charges phones for days and still starts the car for an evacuation. Nothing else in a kit does both.
• Light. A headlamp per adult and a tripod area light for the room you gather in. Candles are a fire risk in a house with no water pressure.
• A hand-crank or battery radio with NOAA weather band, because cell towers go down too.
• Cash. Card readers and ATMs do not work. Two hundred dollars in small bills.
• Printed contacts and documents.

Tier two: days two through fourteen

• Water: one gallon per person per day, plus a filter or tablets when stored water runs out.
• Food: shelf-stable, no cooking required, plus a camp stove and fuel used outdoors only.
• Cooling for medication and food: a cooler and a plan; know which medications need refrigeration.
• Heat in winter: blankets, layers, hand warmers, and a safe heater rated for indoor use. Never run a generator or a gas stove indoors.
• Communication: a Star Power 600 runs a Starlink Mini dish for hours, which keeps internet up when cell service is down. See how to power Starlink off-grid.
• Solar top-up: a solar power bank refills small devices during the day.
• First aid and a week of prescriptions. Our first aid guide covers the list.

Sizing backup power

Add up what you must run. A phone is about 10 watt-hours per full charge. A CPAP is 30 to 60 watts an hour overnight. A fridge is 100 to 200 watts when running. A jump starter covers phones and lights for days. A 600 watt-hour power station covers phones, lights, a router or Starlink, and a CPAP for a night or two. A fridge for more than a day needs a larger station or a generator used outdoors. Buy for the load you actually have, not the biggest number on the box.

The rules that prevent the second disaster

• Never run generators, grills, or camp stoves indoors or in a garage. Carbon monoxide kills more people in outages than the outage does.
• Keep a battery carbon monoxide alarm in the kit.
• Unplug sensitive electronics before power returns to avoid surge damage.
• Keep the freezer closed; it holds temperature about 48 hours full, 24 hours half full.
• Keep the gas tank above half during storm season.

Season and region additions

• Hurricane (June to November): tarps, plywood plan, documents in a waterproof pouch, evacuation route printed.
• Wildfire (West and increasingly Southeast): P100 masks, goggles, a go-bag ready in under five minutes.
• Winter storm: heat first. See the winter car kit for the vehicle side.
• Earthquake: shoes under the bed, a pry bar, a wrench on the gas shutoff.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a power outage kit last?
Build for 72 hours first, then extend water, food, and power to two weeks. Most outages end in three days; the ones that matter do not.

What is the most important item in a power outage kit?
Backup power. Phones carry alerts, maps, and family contact, and a jump starter or power station keeps them alive for days while also lighting the house.

Can a jump starter power my house?
No. It powers phones, lights, and small devices for days, and starts the car. For a fridge or medical equipment you need a power station or an outdoor generator.

Is it safe to run a generator in the garage with the door open?
No. Carbon monoxide builds up even with the door open. Generators go outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows.

How much water do I need for a two-week outage?
One gallon per person per day: 14 gallons per person, plus a filter for refills.

Build your backup power from POD X jump starters and the off-grid power collection. Every POD X product carries a 3-year warranty with free registration.