Charging Phones in an Outage

Save battery first

1. Turn on power-saving mode.
2. Keep non-emergency calls short, or text instead. Texts often get through when calls do not.
3. If a call fails, wait 10 seconds before redialling.
4. Check for updates at set times rather than all day.

Ways to charge

• Power banks. Keep them full, and top up every month or two.
• Your car. Use a car charger only with the vehicle parked outdoors with good airflow. Never run a vehicle in a garage, even with the door open.
• A generator or battery station. Generators are outdoor only.
• Charging stations. Communities may set them up in a long outage.

Carbon monoxide warning. Generators, camp stoves, barbecues, charcoal, and kerosene or propane burners give off carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell and which can kill within minutes. Never use them indoors, or in a garage, basement, shed, tent or covered porch, even with doors and windows open. Outdoors, keep them at least 20 feet (6 m) from doors, windows and vents.

Landlines

The FCC advises keeping at least one corded phone. Cordless phones usually stop working without power. Check whether your home phone depends on power, and how long any backup battery lasts.

Other backups

• Keep a paper list of important phone numbers.
• Agree on an out-of-area contact everyone can text.
• Keep a battery or hand-crank radio for news when networks are down.
• Medical alert systems usually need a working phone line. Keep a cell phone as a backup.