What to do in a power outage

University of Pittsburgh - Power Outage Guide

Take the right steps to stay safe during a power outage:

  • If you don’t already have emergency supplies, make sure to acquire a flashlight with extra batteries, bottled water, glow sticks, hand-cranked radio, and blankets.
  • Consider future planning—use FEMA’s emergency supply list as a guideline for items to have on hand for any emergency situation: https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/ready_supply-kit-checklist.pdf 
  • Make sure to restock emergency supplies that you’ve used.
  • Get additional tips for handling a power outage at: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/ready/get-prepared/power-outages.html
  • Use a portable charger to charge phones, medical devices and other necessary electronic devices, and keep a backup charged. If you need to charge devices, visit various buildings across campus (see listing below for locations and hours).
  • Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours; a full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours. Throw away food that has been exposed to temperatures of 40°F for two hours or more. • If you are concerned about medications having spoiled, contact your doctor. 

Stay up to date with hours of operation for on-campus resources: 

Additional locations/resources: 

Emergency Contact Numbers: