GUIDE
Medical Devices and Power Outages
If you or someone in your home relies on powered medical equipment, planning for an outage is not optional. Start here, before you think about any other gear.
Step 1: List the equipment
Write down every device that needs power: what it is, who uses it, how long it can run on its own battery, and how many watts it uses. The label or manual lists the watts. Add refrigerated medicine to the list.
Step 2: Ask the people who know
| Who | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Your doctor or care team | What is my plan if the power is out for a few hours, a day or several days? When should I leave home? How long can my medicine stay at higher temperatures? |
| The device maker or supplier | How long does the device run on its own battery? What backup power do you approve? Can I use a power station or generator with it? |
| Your pharmacist | Which medicines must stay cold? Can I keep a larger supply, and how? |
| Your electric utility | Can you note that someone here depends on power-dependent equipment? How will you tell me about planned outages? |
| Your local emergency management or health department | Is there a registry or program for people with electricity-dependent equipment? Where are cooling or warming centers and shelters? |
Ready.gov advises talking with your medical provider about an outage plan, including how long medicine can be stored at higher temperatures.
Step 3: Build the backup plan
- Charge the device's own battery before storms and keep chargers and cables together.
- Ask about a spare battery from the maker.
- Do not assume a power station or generator is safe to use with life-support equipment. Confirm with the maker.
- Have a second option: another place to go with power, such as a friend, a relative or a shelter, and a way to get there.
- Keep a printed list of devices, medicines, doctors and contacts in your kit.
Step 4: Know the help that exists
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services runs the HHS emPOWER Program. Local officials use it to understand how many people in their area rely on electricity-dependent equipment and may need help in an outage. Its map shows totals by county and ZIP code. It does not enroll individuals, so contact your local emergency management office or health department about local programs.
Oxygen and open flames
Oxygen makes fire burn faster and hotter. Keep oxygen equipment away from open flames, candles, smoking and heat sources, and follow your supplier's safety instructions. This is another reason to avoid candles in an outage.
Generators and carbon monoxide
If you use a generator for any reason, run it outside only, at least 20 feet from the house, and keep battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms in the home. A person who is weak or ill can be harmed by smaller amounts of carbon monoxide, so alarms matter even more.
Put it on the checklist
Our free Seven Bases Checklist has a line for this: anyone who relies on a medical device has a power plan. Use it, and fill in the family plan page with contacts and the nearest cooling or warming center.
Sources
- Ready.gov, Power Outages: https://www.ready.gov/power-outages
- HHS emPOWER Program fact sheet: https://empowerprogram.hhs.gov/Program-Fact-Sheet.pdf
- ASPR TRACIE, electricity-dependent durable medical equipment in disasters: https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/technical-resources/51/Homecare/51
- CPSC, What to Know About Generators and CO (PDF): https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/468_WhattoKnowGenerators_2022_v5.pdf
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