How to Prepare for Power Outages If Your Health Depends on Home Medical Devices

Power Outage Plan Elements

Emergency power supply: Understand the battery life of specific equipment by noting the model and serial number of your medical devices. Keep all equipment manuals in one easy-to-find place, and make sure spare batteries are charged, especially if the weather forecast is dire. If possible, purchase a device called an inverter that lets you charge batteries through your car’s cigarette lighter or 12-volt port.

Communication: Call your local fire and police departments to let emergency services know you’re relying on home medical equipment. Many keep a list of people in your area who are particularly vulnerable. Identify the locations of shelters and power plants, and make a list of important numbers—your doctor, home care agency, medical equipment company, or oxygen provider, and friends and family members who might be willing to step in and help—and keep it near a telephone (preferably a landline, in case your cell phone dies).

Also important: Tell your local utility that you rely on home medical equipment; many will prioritize restoring power. During a power outage, stay on top of your utility’s estimates of when power will be restored. It’s a good idea to have a battery-powered radio on hand to stay up to date with the latest news.

While having a backup power source is helpful, it’s no substitute for a well-thought-out disaster plan, says Sue Anne Bell, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing who studies the health effects of disasters. Here’s how to plan ahead:

Power Outage Plan Elements

Communication: Call your local fire and police departments to let them know you’re relying on home medical equipment. Many of them keep a list of people in your area who are particularly vulnerable. Identify the locations of shelters and power plants, and make a list of important numbers—your doctor, home care agency, medical equipment company, or oxygen supplier, and friends and family members who might be willing to step in and help—and keep it near a telephone (preferably a landline, in case your cell phone dies).

If you sleep with a CPAP or BiPAP machine: “Most people can get by without it for a night or two,” Rizzo says. But it makes sense to have a charged spare battery and an inverter. If your unit has a humidifier, make sure you have plenty of distilled water on hand, too.

If you are taking insulin or other medications that need to be kept cold: When refrigerated at 36 to 46 degrees, the insulin retains its full potency—and the refrigerator will stay cold for two to three hours if the door is closed. After that, the medicine is probably OK at room temperature—as long as it is below 86 degrees, when the insulin begins to break down and lose its potency. If the liquid changes color or has lumps or crystals in it, don’t use it. You can put it in the refrigerator, but if it freezes, throw it away.

“The key to using unrefrigerated insulin is to monitor your blood glucose. If your blood glucose levels start to rise to dangerous levels or if you experience excessive thirst or urination, nausea or vomiting, seek medical attention,” says Dr. Robert Gabbay, chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association.

Many other medications also require refrigeration, so it’s a good idea to read the label carefully or consult your doctor to find out which ones might spoil if you break them.