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Portable
Oxygen: A User's Perspective
Preparing
for
Power Outages
IMPORTANT:
The information here provided is for
educational purposes only and it is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your own
physician or healthcare provider with any questions you may have
regarding a medical condition. |
We are entering the winter season--the season when we can expect power
outages. For most folks, a power outage is an inconvenience. For a
person relying on electricity to power a life support system,
it can be an emergency. If you have life support systems which
rely on electrical power, you should have an emergency plan to follow
when there is a power outage. If you are dependent on supplementary
oxygen and you don't have such a plan, here are some suggestions.
- Contact your power company and tell them you are oxygen
dependent. Register with them. Ask what kinds of services you can
expect during an outage? Will your home receive priority service? Will
you
be informed frequently about repair progress? If the outage is long,
will you be provided with a generator? Ask them what the average
frequency
and length of power outages is in your area and what you should do to
prepare for them. You will likely conclude from the answers your
receive
that you had better have your plan and your own resources for such
emergencies.
- Contact your oxygen provider and ask it how much oxygen it
needs to place in your home so that oxygen flow is uninterrupted, even
during a power outage or snow emergency. This length of time is
dependent on a number of factors, including how easy it is to get to
your home with snow or ice on the ground. Remember, it is the
obligation
of your oxygen provider to keep you supplied, during emergencies.
Your oxygen provider may set up one or more large compressed oxygen
cylinders in your home for emergency use. Prepare the cylinder for
quick use during an emergency and label it with its duration. ( Click here and
print a label for compressed oxygen cylinders.). If you receive regular
deliveries of liquid oxygen, your provider may choose to set up
additional reservoirs, topping them off periodically. Prepare your
liquid tank for quick use during an emergency and label it with its
duration. ( Click
here and print a label for a liquid oxygen tanks.) When the
concentrator stops, you will need someone else to switch you over to
the emergency oxygen. Train that person now.
You will want to know how long the cylinders last. Have your oxygen
provider label the cylinders now with the number of minutes each
will last at your flow rate.
- If you are remotely located or are in an area where there
are frequent or long-lasting outages, perhaps you should consider
purchasing and installing a generator.
Preparing in advance requires additional effort on your part. You will
be glad you did it when the power goes out. Remember, no one knows how
long an outage will last, perhaps for hours or days. Immediately call
your power company and register the outage. They do not know you have
lost power unless you tell them. So your oxygen provider can better
plan emergency deliveries, call and tell them how much oxygen you have
on hand.
Have the following things, all with fresh or fully charged batteries,
ready for emergencies.
- A battery powered radio
- A cell phone or a telephone that does not need to be
plugged into an electrical outlet to work
- One or two flashlights, strategically placed
Bill offers further suggestions:
- Keep
medications and prescriptions handy so that, if you are required to
leave your home in a hurry, you can pick them up on the way out.
- Check
with your police department to see if there are provisions for "home
alone" folks.
- Keep
in touch with neighbors.
- For
backup food, pick up some Military MREs (meals, ready to eat), from the
local military surplus store. They are inexpensive, excellent quality,
and require no external source of heat.
- Stock
pile water in your bathtub and other containers, in case your water
supply is endangered.
- In
winter weather, move perishable food out of the refridgerator into
boxes in a protected outdoor location (e.g., garage). Food will stay
fresh at 40 degrees or colder.
- For turther tips, see what Kay has put together
at her website.
Click here
to see a list of other feature stories.
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© 2003 Copyright
Peter M. Wilson, Ph.D.
Founder of PortableOxygen.org
You have permission to
print this document for your personal use. You also have permission to
print, copy, and distribute this document to oxygen users and their
caregivers.
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