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Power for medical devices when the lights go out.

CPAP, oxygen, refrigerated medicine, a power chair: what keeps running, and who to call before the shutoff.

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A planned shutoff or a long outage is a different problem when someone in the house sleeps on a CPAP, uses oxygen, keeps insulin in the fridge or charges a wheelchair. None of it is unsolvable, but most of it has to be set up before the notice comes. Here are the twelve things that matter, in order.

1
Enroll in Medical Baseline now
- Your utility's program for homes with medical equipment
- Extra notice before a planned shutoff, and a lower rate
- A form your doctor signs; takes minutes online
2
Make the list
- Every device, its plug, and how long it runs on battery
- Which ones are life-sustaining and which are comfort
- Tape it inside the kitchen cabinet by the breaker
3
CPAP: a battery made for it
- The device maker's DC battery pack runs it all night
- Humidifier and heated tube off doubles the hours
- A portable power station works too, on the DC cord
4
Oxygen: tanks as the backup
- A concentrator needs more power than most batteries give
- Ask the supplier for backup cylinders before fire season
- Tell the utility, the supplier and a neighbor you use oxygen
5
Refrigerated medicine
- A small cooler with ice packs, never touching the ice
- Follow the label for how long it can stay at room temperature
- Pharmacist on the phone list for a replacement
6
Power chairs and scooters
- Charge to full on the night of the notice
- A manual chair or a plan for one as the backup
- Know who can help with stairs if the elevator is out
7
Nebulizers, pumps, monitors
- Battery models or a car adapter for the small ones
- Spare batteries in the device bag
- Hand-held alternatives when the maker offers them
8
Dialysis and treatments
- The clinic has an emergency plan; ask for it in writing
- Where you go if your clinic is dark
- Rides arranged before the day, not on it
9
The power station, sized right
- Add up the device watts for one night, then double it
- Lithium iron phosphate cells last years
- Charged and tested before fire season
10
Never a generator indoors
- Outdoors only, twenty feet from windows
- Carbon monoxide has no smell
- A battery runs the medical gear; the generator runs the fridge
11
The second place to go
- A relative outside the shutoff zone, or a hotel with power
- Community resource centers the utility opens during shutoffs
- The hospital is the last resort, not the plan
12
Tell three people
- A neighbor with a key who checks in twice a day
- The out-of-area contact knows the device list
- Alerts signed up for on two phones