How to Survive a Winter Power Outage (Without a Generator)

This video explains how to prepare for and get through a winter power outage that lasts for days, including how to stay warm without electricity, avoid carbon monoxide poisoning and hypothermia, and keep food, water and medicine safe. When Winter Storm Uri cut power to more than 4.5 million people in Texas in February 2021, the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed 246 deaths, with hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning together accounting for more than seven in ten of them. The January 2026 winter storm left more than 1.1 million customers across the South without power at its peak, and Mississippi needed nearly two weeks to restore service. The video covers why winter outages last so long, the first steps to take when the power goes out, how to heat one room safely, the warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning and hypothermia, and an eight-step checklist built on guidance from the CDC, FEMA, the American Red Cross, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Fire Protection Association. What's covered in this video: - Texas Department of State Health Services figures for Winter Storm Uri, including 158 hypothermia deaths and 19 carbon monoxide deaths linked to generators, grills, heaters and vehicles. - The January 2026 winter storm, with more than 1.1 million customers without power at its peak and at least 170 deaths linked to it. - Energy Information Administration data showing the average customer lost about 11 hours of electricity in 2024, with major events causing 80 percent of those hours. - Why ice storms cause long outages, including how half an inch of ice can add around 500 pounds to a span of power line. - What to do in the first hour, from unplugging electronics to protect them from surges to keeping the refrigerator and freezer closed. - Red Cross guidance on preventing frozen pipes by dripping faucets and opening sink cabinet doors. - Why flashlights beat candles, with NFPA data on 7,400 home candle fires a year. -