Family Survival

Guides / temperature

Temperature (Warmth and Cooling)

Staying warm when the heat or power fails, staying cool in extreme heat, the warning signs that mean call 911, and using heaters and generators without poisoning anyone.

Reviewed 2026-09-21 · 4 sections · 31 sources

Your region's section opens first once you choose your region. Every region is listed under each section below.

01 Staying warm when the heat or power fails

Winter storms can cut off heat, power, and communications for hours or days, and they put older adults, children, and people who are sick at greater risk.⁠[1]

The warm-room plan works in any home, including apartments. General guidance, built on the steps below.

  1. Pick one small room with few windows. Everyone spends time and sleeps there.
  2. Hang blankets over the doorway and windows. Put rugs on the floor.
  3. Dress in layers, and cover your head and neck. Change out of wet clothes right away.⁠[2]
  4. Use sleeping bags and wool blankets. Share body heat.
  5. Check on anyone who lives alone every few hours. Most people who died of hypothermia in the 2021 Texas winter storm were 60 or older.⁠[3]

Never heat a home with a gas stove or oven, a grill, or a generator. They can poison you with carbon monoxide.⁠[1]

Before winter: insulate, caulk, and weather-strip; learn how to keep pipes from freezing; and put battery-backup carbon monoxide detectors in the home. If you cannot afford heating costs or repairs, contact the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).⁠[1]

Most furnaces and boilers, whether gas or oil, need electricity to run. When the power goes out, the heat goes out too. General guidance: check your own system.

By region

Northeast / New England
  • Long, cold winters and multi-day outages are the main threat. Nor'easters and ice storms bring down power lines, and oil and gas heat both stop without electricity. General guidance.
  • Heating oil is delivered by truck. Fill the tank early in the season and do not let it run low, because delivery can be delayed during cold snaps. General guidance.
Local detail: Southeastern Connecticut
  • About 35% of Connecticut households heat with oil, against 4% nationally.⁠[4] Connecticut heating oil averaged $5.61 a gallon in September 2026, up 86% in two years.⁠[5] Fill the tank early and keep it from running low.
  • Oil burners need electricity. In an outage, an oil-heated house goes cold. Have a warm-room kit, and a plan to go to someone with heat if the house gets too cold. General guidance.
  • Help with heating costs: the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) pays toward heating, and oil households may qualify for extra deliveries.⁠[6] In New London County, apply through TVCCA.⁠[7]
  • Eversource Winter Protection keeps eligible customers' gas or electric service from being shut off from November 1 through May 1. It must be renewed every year.⁠[8]
Mid-Atlantic
  • Ice storms can bring down power lines for days.⁠[9] Have your warm-room kit ready before winter.
  • Row houses and apartments share walls. Choose an interior room for your warm room. General guidance.
Southeast & Gulf Coast
  • Hard freezes are rare but dangerous here, because many homes are not built for them. In the February 2021 Texas winter storm, 161 of the 246 deaths were from hypothermia.⁠[3]
  • Keep blankets, warm layers, and a way to stay warm without power, even in a mild climate. General guidance.
Midwest / Great Lakes
  • Blizzards and deep cold can last for days. Watch the wind chill: it tells you how fast exposed skin can freeze.⁠[10]
  • Keep a winter kit in your car with blankets, warm clothes, water, and snacks, and keep a full tank. If you are trapped in your car, stay inside it.⁠[1]
Great Plains
  • Blizzards and ice storms can strand people in cars and cut power across wide areas. If you are trapped in your car, stay in it.⁠[1]
  • Keep at least half a tank of gas in extreme cold so you can stay warm if you get stuck.⁠[11]
Mountain West
  • Mountain cold is severe, and roads close. Keep supplies to stay home for several days without power.⁠[1]
  • Keep a winter car kit, and keep the tank full.⁠[1]
Desert Southwest
  • Desert nights can drop below freezing in winter, especially at higher elevations. Keep warm bedding and one safe backup heat source. General guidance.
  • Many homes here are built to stay cool, not warm. The warm-room plan still applies. General guidance.
Local detail: Tucson, AZ
  • Tucson winter nights can drop below freezing. Keep warm bedding and one safe backup heat source, with a carbon monoxide detector in the same room. General guidance.
Pacific Northwest
  • Winter wind and ice storms can cause long outages. Have your warm-room kit and supplies for several days.⁠[1]
  • Mountain passes close in snow. Keep a winter car kit.⁠[1]
California
  • Most of the state is mild, but mountain communities get heavy snow and cold. Prepare as you would anywhere with winter storms.⁠[1]
  • Public Safety Power Shutoffs can happen in cool months as well as summer. Plan for heat without power.⁠[12]
Alaska
  • Extreme cold is life-threatening. Know your wind chill: frostbite can happen in minutes at extreme wind chills.⁠[10]
  • Keep backup heat that does not need electricity, installed safely, plus fuel for it. Keep a vehicle kit and never travel in the cold without one. General guidance.
Hawaii
  • Cold is not a threat at sea level. Upper elevations on the Big Island, such as Mauna Kea, can get winter snow and freezing temperatures. Dress and prepare for cold there. General guidance.
  • Your main temperature threat is heat. See the cooling section below.

02 Staying cool in extreme heat

Extreme heat causes more deaths every year than any other weather hazard. Older adults, children, and people with certain illnesses and chronic conditions are at greater risk. Humidity makes it feel hotter.⁠[13]

  • Get to air conditioning. If your home has none, find a cooling center, library, or mall.⁠[13]
  • A fan is not enough. a fan alone does not lower body temperature.⁠[13]
  • Cool your body: cool showers or baths, loose light-colored clothing, and plenty of fluids.⁠[13]
  • Keep the heat out: cover windows with drapes or shades, use window reflectors, and use the oven less.⁠[13]
  • Avoid heavy activity at midday, and check on family, older adults, and neighbors.⁠[13]
  • Never leave a person or pet in a closed car on a warm day.⁠[13]
  • Heat waves can cause power outages. If the heat or cold is extreme and your power is out, go somewhere that has power.⁠[14]
  • Check the NWS HeatRisk forecast to see how dangerous the coming days will be.⁠[15]

Some medicines raise heat risk. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about each person's medicines.⁠[16]

By region

Northeast / New England
  • Many older homes have no air conditioning. In a heat wave, know where the nearest cooling center is.⁠[13]
  • Top-floor apartments get much hotter than the floors below. Check on people who live in them. General guidance.
Local detail: Southeastern Connecticut
  • Many older shoreline homes have no air conditioning. In a heat wave, know where the nearest cooling center or library is.⁠[13]
Mid-Atlantic
  • Humid summer heat makes it feel hotter than the thermometer says. Watch the heat index, not just the temperature.⁠[17]
  • City row houses and apartments trap heat. Know where the cooling centers are.⁠[13]
Southeast & Gulf Coast
  • Humidity is the danger. The heat index tells you how hot it really feels, and full sun can add up to 15°F to it.⁠[17]
  • After a hurricane, the power can be out for days in peak heat. Plan a place with power you can go to.⁠[14]
Midwest / Great Lakes
  • Summer heat waves bring dangerous heat index values. Check on neighbors who live alone.⁠[13]
  • Storms and derechos can knock out power during heat waves.⁠[18] Know where to go to cool off.
Great Plains
  • Summer heat is extreme, and rural homes may be far from a cooling center. Plan ahead for where to go.⁠[13]
  • Avoid outdoor work at midday.⁠[13]
Mountain West
  • Valley towns get hot summers, and many homes have no air conditioning. Know your cooling options.⁠[13]
  • Wildfire smoke often comes with summer heat. Smoke can make anyone sick.⁠[19] Check air quality on AirNow.⁠[20]
Desert Southwest
  • Heat is the deadliest threat here. Treat a summer power failure as an emergency.⁠[13]
  • Evaporative (swamp) coolers work well in dry heat but less well in humid monsoon weather. General guidance. During wildfire smoke, cover their outside air intakes with high-efficiency (MERV 13) filters or run them sparingly.⁠[22]
Local detail: Tucson, AZ
  • Pima County recorded 123 heat-related deaths and 930 heat-illness incidents by early September 2026, already past 2025's totals.⁠[21]
  • A summer power failure is the most dangerous realistic scenario. Your layered plan: backup power for cooling, body cooling with water, shaded windows, no outdoor work at midday, and a place to go that has power.⁠[13]⁠[14]
  • A fueled car can be a short-term cooling space while you drive to a cooling center, but never leave a person or pet in a parked car.⁠[13]
Pacific Northwest
  • Many homes here have no air conditioning, so a rare heat wave can be deadly. Plan where you will go to cool off.⁠[23]
  • Wildfire smoke: set up a clean room with a portable air cleaner or filter, and keep windows closed when it is smoky outside.⁠[22]
California
  • Public Safety Power Shutoffs can turn off power during hot, windy weather to reduce wildfire risk. Plan how you will stay cool without power.⁠[12]
  • Wildfire smoke: keep an N95 mask on hand, watch air quality alerts, and set up a clean room.⁠[24]⁠[22]
Alaska
  • Summer heat is rare, but homes are built to hold heat in. On unusually hot days, keep shades drawn and check on older neighbors.⁠[13]
  • Wildfire smoke in summer can affect large areas of the interior. Check AirNow.⁠[20]
Hawaii
  • Heat and humidity all year. Watch the heat index on hot days.⁠[17]
  • After a hurricane, power may be out for a long time. Plan for heat without power.⁠[25]

03 Danger signs that mean act now

Heat exhaustion (heavy sweating, paleness, cramps, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, fainting): go somewhere cooler, loosen clothing, and sip water or a sports drink. Call a doctor if it gets worse or lasts more than an hour.⁠[13]

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. call 911: call 911 right away. Move the person somewhere cool, remove outer clothing, and put cold wet cloths or ice on the head, neck, armpits, and groin.⁠[13]⁠[26]

Hypothermia: a body temperature below 95°F needs medical help immediately. Warm the center of the body first (chest, neck, head, groin), and keep the person dry and wrapped in blankets.⁠[27]⁠[1]

Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. If a CO alarm goes off, or several people feel sick at once, get everyone outside into fresh air, then call 911 from outside. General first-aid guidance.

By region

Northeast / New England
  • Older adults may not feel cold the way younger people do. Check on anyone living alone during a cold outage. General guidance.
  • Carbon monoxide risk rises in winter, when heaters, generators, and blocked vents are in use.⁠[28]
Mid-Atlantic
  • In humid heat, sweat does not cool the body as well. Watch for heat exhaustion early. General guidance.
  • After a winter storm, never run a car in an attached garage, even with the door open.⁠[28]
Southeast & Gulf Coast
  • Heat illness can come on fast in high humidity. Know the heat stroke signs and call 911.⁠[26]
  • After hurricanes, carbon monoxide poisoning from generators is a known danger. Keep a battery CO detector.⁠[28]
Midwest / Great Lakes
  • In deep cold, frostbite can develop quickly on exposed skin. Check the wind chill.⁠[10]
  • Shoveling heavy snow can trigger heart attacks. Avoid overexertion.⁠[1]
Great Plains
  • Farm and outdoor workers face heat stroke in summer and frostbite in winter. Know both sets of signs.⁠[26]⁠[1]
  • Avoid overexertion shoveling snow.⁠[1]
Mountain West
  • At altitude, cold and wind chill are more severe. Watch for frostbite and hypothermia.⁠[10]
  • Wildfire smoke can make breathing harder for anyone, especially people with heart or lung conditions.⁠[19]
Desert Southwest
  • Heat stroke can kill. Call 911 at the first signs: confusion, hot skin, fainting.⁠[26]
  • Some people are at much higher risk in heat, including older adults and people with chronic conditions. Ask a pharmacist whether any regular medicine raises heat risk.⁠[16]
Local detail: Tucson, AZ
  • Heat stroke is the leading temperature danger in Pima County. Call 911 at the first signs.⁠[26]⁠[21]
Pacific Northwest
  • People who are not used to heat are at greater risk in a heat wave. Watch for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.⁠[23]
  • Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick.⁠[19]
California
  • Wildfire smoke is a health threat far from the fire itself.⁠[19]
  • In inland heat, watch for heat illness signs.⁠[26]
Alaska
  • Frostbite and hypothermia are the main threats. Cover exposed skin, and get to warmth at the first signs.⁠[1]
  • Wood stoves and heaters in tight, sealed homes raise carbon monoxide risk. Keep a CO detector near every sleeping area.⁠[28]
Hawaii
  • Heat illness is the main temperature danger. Know the signs.⁠[26]
  • Volcanic ash and gases can cause serious health problems.⁠[29] Follow official air-quality guidance during eruptions.

04 Heaters, generators, and carbon monoxide

Generators, furnaces, gas and oil burners, and charcoal grills all make carbon monoxide, a poison gas you cannot see or smell.⁠[28]

  • Generators: run them more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents, and never inside a home or garage.⁠[28] Even 15 feet from an open window was not far enough in NIST's tests.⁠[30]
  • Keep a generator dry, use heavy-duty extension cords, and let it cool before refueling.⁠[14]
  • Carbon monoxide detectors: put battery or battery-backup detectors near every sleeping area, and on every level of the home.⁠[28]⁠[14]
  • Never use a gas stove or oven to heat the home, or a camp stove or grill indoors.⁠[14]⁠[28]
  • Never run a car in a garage attached to a house, even with the garage door open.⁠[28]

By region

Northeast / New England
  • Have oil and gas burners serviced every year. Keep outside vents clear of snow. General guidance.
  • If you add a generator, have an electrician install a proper inlet or transfer switch. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. General guidance.
Local detail: Southeastern Connecticut
  • Oil and gas furnaces need electricity. A generator with a properly installed inlet can run the heating system in an outage. Have an electrician do the work, and keep the generator more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents.⁠[28]
Mid-Atlantic
  • Row houses and apartments are close together. A neighbor's generator near your window is also a danger. Place it well away from all buildings. General guidance.
  • Keep your CO detectors on every level.⁠[14]
Southeast & Gulf Coast
  • After hurricanes, many people run generators for days. Keep them outside, far from open windows, doors, and vents.⁠[28]
  • Keep generators dry and out of flood water.⁠[14]
Midwest / Great Lakes
  • Wood and pellet stoves: burn only dry, seasoned wood, and have the chimney inspected.⁠[31]
  • Never run a generator in a garage during a blizzard, even with the door open.⁠[28]
Great Plains
  • Keep a generator outside even in a blizzard. Snow can block exhaust and vents.⁠[28]
  • Use only heaters rated for indoor use, and keep a CO detector in the same room. General guidance.
Mountain West
  • At altitude, fuel-burning appliances need proper venting. Have them checked. General guidance.
  • Wood stoves: burn dry, seasoned wood.⁠[31]
Desert Southwest
  • A generator can run an evaporative cooler in a summer outage. It still goes outside, far from windows and doors.⁠[28]
  • Heat and fuel: store gasoline in approved containers away from the house. General guidance.
Local detail: Tucson, AZ
  • Solar and battery power suits Tucson's sun and needs no fuel. A fuel generator must still be kept more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents.⁠[28]
Pacific Northwest
  • Winter storm outages bring carbon monoxide deaths from indoor generators and grills. Keep them outside.⁠[28]
  • Wood stoves: burn dry, seasoned wood, and follow local burn bans.⁠[31]
California
  • During Public Safety Power Shutoffs, many people run generators. Keep them outdoors and away from openings.⁠[12]⁠[28]
  • Utilities offer help for people who depend on medical devices. Ask about Medical Baseline programs.⁠[12]
Alaska
  • Wood stoves are common. Burn dry wood, have the chimney cleaned, and keep a CO detector near every sleeping area.⁠[31]⁠[28]
  • Snow can bury exhaust vents and generator exhausts. Keep them clear.⁠[28]
Hawaii
  • After a hurricane, generators may run for days while power is restored. Keep them outside and dry.⁠[14]⁠[28]
  • Never run a generator in a carport attached to the house or a garage. General guidance.

Sources for this guide

Numbers in brackets in the text link here. Items marked General guidance are widely accepted practice rather than a figure from one source.

  1. Winter Weather · Ready.gov (FEMA) · checked 2026-09-21
  2. During Extremely Cold Weather · National Weather Service · checked 2026-09-21
  3. Texas winter storm death toll (DSHS final report) · Insurance Journal, reporting Texas DSHS · checked 2026-09-21
  4. How home heating is changing in Connecticut · CTData Collaborative · checked 2026-09-21
  5. Home heating oil prices climb above $5.60 per gallon in Connecticut · WFSB (reporting EIA data) · checked 2026-09-21
  6. Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) · Connecticut Department of Social Services · checked 2026-09-21
  7. Energy Assistance · TVCCA · checked 2026-09-21
  8. Shutoff protection (Winter Protection) · Eversource · checked 2026-09-21
  9. Winter Weather Safety · National Weather Service · checked 2026-09-21
  10. Understanding Wind Chill · National Weather Service · checked 2026-09-21
  11. Prepare for Cold Weather · National Weather Service · checked 2026-09-21
  12. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) · California Public Utilities Commission · checked 2026-09-21
  13. Extreme Heat · Ready.gov (FEMA) · checked 2026-09-21
  14. Power Outages · Ready.gov (FEMA) · checked 2026-09-21
  15. NWS HeatRisk · NOAA Weather Prediction Center · checked 2026-09-21
  16. People at Increased Risk for Heat-Related Illness · CDC · checked 2026-09-21
  17. Heat Forecast Tools (heat index) · National Weather Service · checked 2026-09-21
  18. Facts About Derechos · NOAA Storm Prediction Center · checked 2026-09-21
  19. How Wildfire Smoke Affects Your Body · CDC · checked 2026-09-21
  20. AirNow air quality · AirNow (EPA and partners) · checked 2026-09-21
  21. Pima County heat-related deaths surpass last year's total · KOLD News 13 · checked 2026-09-21
  22. Create a Clean Room to Protect Indoor Air Quality During a Wildfire · U.S. EPA · checked 2026-09-21
  23. Hot Weather Precautions · Washington State Department of Health · checked 2026-09-21
  24. Wildfires · Ready.gov (FEMA) · checked 2026-09-21
  25. Hurricane · Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency · checked 2026-09-21
  26. Heat Cramps, Exhaustion, Stroke · National Weather Service · checked 2026-09-21
  27. Preventing Hypothermia · CDC · checked 2026-09-21
  28. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics · CDC · checked 2026-09-21
  29. Volcanoes · Ready.gov (FEMA) · checked 2026-09-21
  30. Safer Emergencies: Give Your Power Generator Some Space · NIST · checked 2026-09-21
  31. Burn Wise · U.S. EPA · checked 2026-09-21