Home Oxygen, CPAP and Other Medical Devices: Call Before the Storm

For most people, a power outage is an inconvenience. For someone on home oxygen, a CPAP, a powered wheelchair, a feeding pump or home dialysis, it's a medical problem. The plan has to start before the storm.

01Make three calls now

1. Your equipment supplier. Ask: - What do we do if the power is out for more than a few hours? - Do you provide backup oxygen tanks or batteries? - How long does the backup last at our settings? - Will you deliver during a storm?

2. Your electric utility. Many utilities have a medical needs or life-support registry. Being on it doesn't guarantee faster restoration, but it can mean a call before planned outages and a check-in during a long one. Ask about it.

3. Your doctor. Ask what to do if the device can't run. For some people, a few hours without a CPAP is uncomfortable. For others, losing oxygen is an emergency.

02Batteries and backup power

• Oxygen concentrators run on electricity. When the power goes out, they stop. Portable concentrators have batteries for a few hours. Backup oxygen tanks don't need power at all. Make sure you have them, and know how long they last.
• CPAP machines can often run on a battery power station overnight, especially without the heated humidifier. Test it at home. See what a power station won't run.
• Generators can run many devices. Never run one indoors. See where the generator goes when it's raining.

03Oxygen safety

• No open flames, candles or smoking near oxygen.
• Keep tanks upright and secured.
• Don't use oxygen near a generator or a gas stove.

04Know when to leave

Decide ahead of time: if the power isn't back by a set time, or the backup gets down to a set level, you go. A relative's house with power, a hotel, a hospital, or a warming center. Don't wait for the last tank.

05Tell the neighbors

A neighbor who knows someone in your house is on oxygen can check in, share a generator, or drive you if needed. See family communication plan.

Keep a written sheet with the device, settings, supplier number and doctor's number where anyone can find it.

Photo by stevepb on Pixabay.

Related: Building a Real Home First-Aid Kit