Quick answer: Prepare for hurricane power loss before travel and outdoor work become unsafe. First follow evacuation instructions, then plan the essential functions you will need at your actual destination. Backup electricity does not make a flood-threatened home safe to occupy.
Decide where the outage plan applies
NWS recommends knowing your evacuation zone and making a family plan before hurricane season. If authorities order evacuation, take the portable supplies and leave as instructed; do not stay to protect a refrigerator or operate a generator. Return after evacuation only when officials say it is safe.
Write two equipment locations: what stays at home and what travels. For example, a large home battery cannot also be the phone reserve in a vehicle unless it is suitable and actually goes with you. Use the hurricane kit inventory and the evacuation bag to resolve that overlap.
List the functions that need power
| Function | What to establish before the storm |
|---|---|
| Communication | Charged phone reserve, radio power and check-in contacts |
| Lighting | Reachable portable and shared-area battery lights |
| Essential care | Provider-approved device, medication and relocation arrangements |
| Food | Outage food plan and a way to check storage temperature |
Use model-specific ratings and measured or documented loads, not a product name alone. The battery sizing worksheet handles energy and running time; the refrigerator guide adds startup and temperature limits.
Prepare backup equipment without improvising connections
CDC says portable generators must operate outdoors at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents. Never operate one in a home or garage. Check functioning battery-backed CO alarms. An unsafe outdoor location, flooding or adverse weather may prevent use; follow equipment instructions rather than moving combustion equipment indoors.
Use the generator and battery comparison for the connection plan. Have required electrical work completed in advance; never feed generator power through a household wall outlet.
Prepare for the services that electricity cannot guarantee
Check water and wastewater notices separately from the electric utility’s restoration information. A powered pump or charged battery does not establish safe tap water. Keep the water-outage plan accessible and maintain food that does not depend on powered cooking.
Plan the hot days after the storm
Record a possible cooled destination, who confirms it is open and how to reach it on permitted routes. Use the heat plan if air conditioning is unavailable. NWS warns of downed lines, flood-damaged roads and unsafe buildings after hurricanes; do not make a supply trip through those hazards.