Immediate danger? Call 911.
Space weather can disrupt electrical grids, satellites, high-frequency radio and satellite navigation. It does not mean every vehicle or phone will fail. NASA explains that Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field protect people on the ground from the direct radiation hazards discussed for astronauts and some high-altitude flights. For households, prepare for loss of services. [S01, S03]
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center publishes alerts, watches, warnings and a three-day forecast. A forecast is not a guarantee of an outage at your address. Warning time varies: different solar events travel differently, and flare-related effects can be nearly immediate. Read the issue time and expected effects, then check your utility and local emergency channels. [S03, S05, S06]
Use the handbook's power-outage plan. Keep charged lighting and phone power, a radio, paper contacts, offline maps, food requiring little preparation and accessible water. Assign one person to check official updates and another to account for household needs; avoid everybody draining batteries on the same rumor feed. These are practical planning recommendations.
The useful technology is technology you have tested: a battery unit with the right output, an offline document that actually opens, and a backup communication method that works when home internet fails. Satellite-dependent systems can also be disrupted; no single device should carry the whole plan. [S01]
Ask the device supplier and clinician for a written outage plan. Confirm compatible backup power, needed supplies, what to do if the device fails, and when to relocate. Do not assume a consumer battery will safely operate critical equipment. If a life-sustaining device fails, seek emergency help immediately. After power returns, verify that settings have not reset. [S07]
Never use a portable generator, grill or camping stove inside a home, garage or tent. Place portable generators outdoors at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents; use working battery-backed carbon-monoxide alarms. A partly open garage is not safe. [S04]
After service returns, follow utility guidance and check equipment before normal use. Record what failed during the outage and repair that weak point. Do not buy months of specialized supplies or abandon a functioning vehicle based on an unsupported “solar EMP” claim.
https://www.spaceweather.gov/products/alerts-watches-and-warnings