When the power goes out, a portable generator can keep essentials running, but it has to be used with care. This guide pulls together what Osceola County, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Florida Division of Emergency Management say about running one safely. Every point below comes from those official sources. For more preparedness material on this site, see the prepare page.
The short version
- Run the generator outdoors, far from dwellings, doors, windows and vents.
- Point exhaust fumes away from homes, people and pets.
- Keep working carbon monoxide detectors or alarms in the house.
- Shut the generator down and let it cool before refueling.
Keep the generator outside
The most repeated instruction across the official sources is location. Osceola County's portable generator safety checklist says to keep generators outside while in use, far from dwellings, doors and windows. The Florida Division of Emergency Management gives the same direction in its own words: always operate your generator outdoors, far from windows, doors, and vents.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is more specific about places that are not acceptable. Its guidance says never to use portable generators indoors or in garages, basements, or sheds. That matters because an outage can make a covered or enclosed spot tempting, for example during bad weather. The federal guidance rules out those spaces plainly.
What this means in practice
- Set the generator up outside, not in a garage, basement or shed.
- Keep it far from the home's doors and windows.
- Keep it away from vents as well, as the state guidance specifies.
The sources use the word far but do not give a distance in their quoted guidance, so this guide does not either. Treat the instruction as a reason to place the unit well away from every opening into the home.
Aim the exhaust away from people and pets
The county checklist also says to point exhaust fumes away from homes, people and pets. Exhaust direction is a separate step from where the generator sits. A generator placed outdoors still produces fumes, so the direction the exhaust points is part of using it safely. Anyone setting up a generator should check where the exhaust is going before starting it, and should consider where people and pets will be while it runs.
Use carbon monoxide detectors
Generators are a carbon monoxide risk, and two of the sources address detection directly. The county checklist says to stay alert and install carbon monoxide detectors. The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that residents always have a working CO alarm in the house.
Together, these point to a simple routine:
- Install carbon monoxide detectors if the home does not have them.
- Make sure the CO alarm in the house is working before an outage begins.
- Stay alert while the generator is running.
The sources do not describe battery types or how many alarms to install, so those details are left to the instructions that come with the alarm.
Refueling: shut down and cool first
Refueling is another step where the official guidance is clear. The county checklist says to shut down and allow the generator to cool before refueling. The Florida Division of Emergency Management adds a time: allow it to cool down for at least 20 minutes.
Putting the two together, the sequence is:
- Shut the generator down.
- Let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
- Only then refuel.
A simple checklist before the next outage
- Decide in advance on an outdoor spot for the generator, away from doors, windows and vents.
- Confirm that the spot is not a garage, basement or shed.
- Check that the home has a working CO alarm.
- Remember that exhaust should point away from homes, people and pets.
- Remember the refueling rule: shut down, then cool for at least 20 minutes.
Doing this ahead of time means the decisions are already made when the lights go out. This guide covers only the points that the three sources state. Residents with a specific model should also follow the manufacturer's instructions for that unit.
Who to contact
- Osceola County Office of Emergency Management: publisher of the portable generator safety checklist.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: guidance on generators and engine-driven tools.
- Florida Division of Emergency Management: state generator safety guidance.
Sources
Compiled from the official sources below.