Get ready for a winter power outage with AI

3 min readWinter ❄️

A simple plan for when the lights go out, written before the storm, not during it.

Winter storms can knock out the power for hours or days. It's much easier to plan while the lights are on. An AI chat app like ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude can help you make a plan, a supply list and a list of people to call. Print them, because your phone may run low.

Step 1: Make your outage plan

Tell AI about your home and who lives there.

Example: "I'm 74 and live alone in a house with a gas furnace and an electric stove. Make a simple plan for a winter power outage: what to do in the first hour, how to stay warm, and when to go somewhere else. Big, simple wording."

Ask it to fit the plan on one page so you can tape it inside a kitchen cupboard.

Step 2: A short supply list

Example: "Make a power outage supply list for one person for 3 days, in store order. Include light, warmth, food that needs no cooking, water, and a way to charge my phone."

Check what you already have before you shop.

If you use a medical device that needs power, ask AI to help you write questions for your doctor and your power company about a backup plan.

Step 3: A phone list on paper

Your contacts live in your phone. Write the important ones down too.

Example: "Make a one-page phone list with spaces for: two neighbors, family, my doctor, my pharmacy, the power company outage line, and my gas company."

Fill in the numbers yourself and keep it with a flashlight.

Step 4: A check-in plan with family

Example: "Write a short text to my family: if the power goes out, I'll text 'OK' every morning at 9. If they don't hear from me by 11, here's who to call."

A short plan like this saves a lot of worry.

Ask AI to explain your generator or space heater manual in plain words, and follow the manual's safety rules.

Things to know

• Never run a generator, grill or camp stove indoors or in a garage. They make carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell. Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm with fresh batteries.
• For how long food stays safe in the fridge and freezer, check a trusted food safety source like the USDA, not AI. Keep the doors closed as much as you can.
• If you're cold and can't get warm, or someone is sick, call 911 or your local emergency line. Ask your city or county where warming centers open.

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