Start with the technology that matters during an outage
Walk through the house and separate essential technology from equipment that can simply stay off. A charged phone, a way to receive weather information, and any medically necessary equipment deserve a real plan. A television, game console, printer, and most smart speakers can usually wait until normal power returns.
This keeps the backup plan small and understandable. Write down what must remain available, who relies on it, how long its battery normally lasts, and what the fallback will be if home internet or cellular service is also interrupted. For medical equipment or refrigerated medication, Tucson Electric Power advises making an outage plan with the appropriate healthcare provider rather than improvising during a storm.
- Phones, power banks, flashlights, and weather information
- Modem, router, and any home phone service that depends on them
- Medical or accessibility equipment with a provider-approved backup plan
- Security, entry, temperature, or leak alerts that the household truly depends on
Know what surge protection and battery backup actually do
A surge protector is meant to reduce the risk from damaging voltage spikes. It does not keep equipment running when the electricity goes out, and no plug-in device should be treated as a guarantee against a direct or severe lightning event. Use a real surge-protective product rather than assuming that every multi-outlet power strip provides surge protection. Follow its indicator lights, replacement guidance, load limits, and manufacturer instructions.
An uninterruptible power supply, often called a UPS, combines battery backup with power conditioning for a limited load and limited time. A modest unit may keep a modem and router running through a short interruption, but it will not restore an internet provider outage. The FCC notes that internet-based home phone service can continue during a power outage only when the internet service is still operating and the customer equipment has backup power.
- Surge protector: helps protect compatible electronics from voltage spikes
- UPS battery backup: provides temporary power to a small, supported load
- Portable power bank: recharges phones and other compatible USB devices
- Generator: requires its own manufacturer instructions and strict outdoor safety practices
Prepare the phone before the sky gets dark
Charge phones and portable power banks while the forecast is still calm. Confirm that emergency alerts are enabled, important contacts are saved, and the household knows where to find the National Weather Service forecast and the Tucson Electric Power outage tools. Keep one charging cable with the power bank instead of borrowing it from another room when the lights are already out.
A battery lasts longer when the screen is dimmed and unnecessary streaming, background activity, and wireless features are reduced. Do not assume a home cordless phone will work without power. If your household relies on internet-based home phone service, test its backup arrangement and keep a charged mobile phone available when possible.
Protect electronics before the storm arrives
NWS Tucson advises unplugging expensive electronics when thunderstorms are expected and before the storm arrives. That can include computers, televisions, audio equipment, and other sensitive devices that do not need to remain on. Save work, shut equipment down normally, and disconnect it while conditions are still safe.
If you can already hear thunder, NWS Tucson says it is too late to touch wiring just to unplug equipment. Stay away from cords, outlets, and other wiring until the storm has passed. Tucson Electric Power also advises turning off the air conditioner during an outage and manually restarting it after service returns.
Test what your smart home does when it loses power or internet
Cameras, video doorbells, smart locks, garage controls, thermostats, leak sensors, and alarm accessories do not all fail the same way. A battery-powered device may stay awake but lose remote access. A camera may keep local recordings but stop sending cloud alerts. A smart lock may still work from its keypad while its app shows it offline. The answer depends on the exact model, wiring, hub, storage method, and service plan.
Test one controlled interruption at a time using the manufacturer's instructions. Confirm which alerts reach the correct phone, whether device batteries are healthy, where the mechanical key or manual control is kept, and what the household should do when an app says a device is offline. Never disable a life-safety system or disconnect wiring to run an informal test.
- Which devices have their own batteries?
- Which functions require the home router, the internet, or a paid cloud service?
- Who receives alerts, and are those alerts still current?
- Is there a safe manual way to unlock, open, silence, or control the device?
During an outage, separate power trouble from internet trouble
If the lights are out but a battery-backed modem and router remain on, wait for the equipment to finish starting before deciding the internet is unavailable. If Wi-Fi is visible but websites do not load, the local network may be working while the provider connection is down. If the router has no backup power, Wi-Fi will disappear even when the provider's outside network is still operating.
Use cellular data carefully if it is available, and preserve phone battery for communication and alerts. Check the utility or provider's official status information instead of repeatedly restarting equipment. Stay away from downed lines and call 911 to report them, as directed by NWS Tucson and Tucson Electric Power.
Bring the home back online in a calm order
After power is stable and conditions are safe, Tucson Electric Power recommends reconnecting unplugged electronics and appliances one at a time. Start with the modem or provider gateway, let it finish its normal startup, then power the router and any network hubs. Reconnect computers, televisions, printers, cameras, and other devices only after the network is ready.
Check the devices that can fail quietly. Make sure clocks are correct, cameras are recording, doorbells and sensors are online, thermostats returned to the intended setting, and important notifications reach the right phone. Recharge power banks and the UPS, record anything that did not recover normally, and replace protective equipment only according to its manufacturer guidance.
Keep the plan simple enough to use next time
A useful monsoon technology plan can fit on one page. List the devices that matter, what powers them, how long the backup is expected to last, where the manual controls are, and which official outage or weather pages to check. Add the date when batteries and alerts were last tested.
The goal is not an elaborate emergency command center. It is a calm, realistic setup that protects sensitive equipment, keeps essential communication available when possible, and gives everyone in the home a clear next step when the power or internet stops working.
Official sources
Technology and account protections change over time. These official resources were checked for this guide.
- National Weather Service Tucson: Monsoon Safety
- Tucson Electric Power: What to Do Before, During and After a Power Outage
- Ready.gov: Power Outages
- FCC: Ensuring Continuity of 911 Communications