If you depend on electric medical equipment, your power provider will do all they can to assist you during a power outage by giving your residence a priority tag. Examples of lifesaving medical devices include an oxygen concentrator or a ventilator. 

If you or someone in your household depends on life-sustaining medical equipment, contact your local electric utility to let them know. 

Although the utility will do all they can to help, it is best to have a backup plan in place in case of severe weather events, which can cause prolonged outages. 

Backup safety tips include the following: 

• Have an emergency plan in place with friends and family that outlines places you can go in the event of a long-term outage. 
• Before an outage occurs, find out if the medical equipment safely runs on a backup power source and for how long (see manufacturer’s recommendations). 
• Keep a full charge on battery-powered devices or have extra batteries available. 
• If recommended by the manufacturer, consider purchasing a portable battery pack to power devices. 
• Gather related resources that will last for two weeks, including batteries, supplemental equipment and prescriptions. 
• Realize that local shelters and hospitals that are also experiencing an outage may be at capacity and have limited resources, including auxiliary power. 
• Think about the other special equipment you might need, such as coolers for refrigerated medicine. 
• Like any important device, keep up regular maintenance. 
• Keep a file that includes the device’s manufacturer, serial numbers and photos of the device. 

Learn more about preparing for an emergency at: SafeElectricity.org