# Heat wave checklist: staying safe when the power fails

Canonical: https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/heat-wave-checklist-without-power/
Author: Roméo Gambino · Published: 2026-09-12 · Updated: 2026-09-12 · App: Surv (https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/)

How to prepare a home for extreme heat, what to do when the air conditioning stops, and the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke to watch for.

## Prepare the coolest room

Ready.gov recommends covering windows with drapes or shades, adding weather stripping, and identifying places in your community where you can go to get cool. Pick one room, ideally the lowest and shadiest, and plan to spend the hottest hours there.


## Water before thirst

Drink regularly whether or not you feel thirsty, and store enough drinking water for several days per person, because heat waves and outages often arrive together. Avoid alcohol and heavy meals during the hottest part of the day.


## When the power goes out

A fan only helps while the room is cooler than your body. Wet cloths on the neck and wrists, cool showers and a shaded ground floor work without electricity. Keep the fridge closed, and check on neighbours who live alone.


## Move activity to the edges of the day

Errands, exercise and cooking belong to early morning or late evening. Ready.gov advises limiting outdoor activity to the coolest part of the day.


## Recognise heat exhaustion

The NHS lists tiredness, dizziness, headache, feeling sick, excessive sweating, cramps and a fast breathing or pulse. Move the person somewhere cool, give them water, cool their skin, and expect improvement within 30 minutes.


## Recognise heatstroke and call for help

If the person is still unwell after 30 minutes of cooling, is very hot but not sweating, has a temperature above 40°C, is confused or has a seizure, the NHS says to call emergency services. Heatstroke is an emergency.


## Questions

### How much water should I store?

Ready.gov’s kit guidance is one gallon, about four litres, per person per day for several days, and more in extreme heat.

### Is a fan enough in a heat wave?

Only while the room is cooler than your body. In very hot rooms a fan alone may not prevent heat illness; use water, shade and a cooler place instead.

### How is this checklist used in Surv?

Surv stores checklists and kit inventories offline, so the list is available on your phone even when the network or the power is down.

## Further reading

- Ready.gov · Extreme Heat — https://www.ready.gov/heat
- NHS · Heat exhaustion and heatstroke — https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heat-exhaustion-heatstroke/
- Ready.gov · Build A Kit — https://www.ready.gov/kit