Generator and storm safety for renters
Storms and power outages bring their own dangers. Portable generators are linked to more than 100 deaths from carbon monoxide in the United States every year.
Generators
- Run a generator outside only, at least 20 feet from the home, with the exhaust pointed away.
- Never run one inside your home, a garage or a basement, even with doors or windows open.
- The same goes for charcoal grills and camp stoves. They stay outside.
- Have a working CO alarm. If it sounds, get everyone outside to fresh air, then call 911.
After a storm
- Never touch a fallen power line. Call the power company to report it.
- Never touch outlets, breakers or appliances that are or have been in standing water.
- Don't step into standing water to reach the breaker panel. Call maintenance.
- Use flashlights, not candles, if the power is out.
Rent your home? Get the free move-in safety checklist. Own or manage rentals? SaferResident gives every tenant a 20 minute course on this, built around your building.
Sources
- Carbon Monoxide Information Center, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
- Keep Warm and Safe This Winter: Tips for Using Generators, Furnaces and Space Heaters, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
- Survival After the Storm: Stay Alive, Avoid These Deadly Hazards (PDF), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Neighborhood Safety Network
- What to Do to Protect Yourself From Electrical Hazards, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Candle Fire Safety, U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA)
Updated October 1, 2026. General safety information. It doesn't replace your building's safety systems, local codes or your lease. In an emergency, call 911.