Medical Preparedness · Medical Devices & Power
CPAP machines, oxygen concentrators, nebulizers, powered wheelchairs, and home dialysis equipment all depend on power that can fail. Four planning steps, the utility program most people don't know exists, and the relocation decision that should be made before — not during — an extended outage.
Planning guidance, not medical advice. Confirm your specific device's requirements with your equipment supplier before any power outage.
Planning guidance, not medical advice
This page helps you plan backup power for home medical equipment. It does not provide clinical instruction or medical recommendations. Confirm your specific device's power requirements, backup compatibility, and outage protocols with your equipment supplier, prescribing physician, and local emergency management office.
What this page covers
An extended power outage affects most households as a significant inconvenience. For households with powered medical equipment, it can become a medical emergency within hours. FEMA estimates that thousands of Americans rely on home medical devices that require continuous power — oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and dialysis machines among them.1
The planning that protects against this is not complicated, but it requires knowing one number — your device's wattage — and making four decisions that are better made calmly in advance than under outage conditions.
This page covers those four decisions, the utility program most equipment users don't know exists, and the relocation threshold that should be established before any outage forces the question.
What this page does not cover
Generator sizing, CO safety, and home backup power systems → Self-Reliance: Energy
Generator placement and CO poisoning prevention → Generator and Backup Power Safety
Refrigerated medication protocols during outages → Refrigerated Medications
Device clinical operation, settings, or treatment protocols — consult your prescribing physician and equipment supplier
Common power-dependent medical devices
Device
Typical use
Priority
Oxygen concentrator
Continuous, typically 24 hrs
Ventilator / respirator
Continuous
Home dialysis
Several hrs, 3–7x per week
CPAP / BiPAP
~8 hrs overnight
Nebulizer
15–30 min, 3–4x per day
Powered wheelchair / scooter
Daily charging
Suction device
Intermittent, as needed
Infusion pump
Continuous or programmed
Electric hospital bed
Periodic positioning
Hearing aid charger
Daily overnight
Priority reflects the urgency of maintaining power continuity, not clinical severity. "Critical" means the planning should assume continuous power availability for multi-day outages. Confirm your specific device's category with your prescribing physician.
1 FEMA. "Healthcare Facilities and Power Outages." FEMA.gov — documents that people with access and functional needs relying on electrically powered equipment require prioritized planning for extended power outages.
The planning process
The wattage of your device — printed on the label — is the starting point for every backup power decision. Without it, any backup power planning is guesswork. With it, the math is straightforward.
The power requirement for your specific device is on the label on the back or bottom of the unit, or in the user manual. It is listed as watts (W) or volt-amps (VA). Models differ significantly — even the same device type can vary by a factor of 3 or more between years and manufacturers. Do not use general estimates; use your specific device's number.
Multiply the wattage by the hours of daily use. The result — watt-hours per day (Wh/day) — is the minimum energy your backup must supply for each full day of outage.
The calculation
Wattage × Hours per day = Wh/day
Example — CPAP machine: a 60W device used 8 hrs overnight = 480 Wh per day
Example — Nebulizer: a 200W device used 4 times for 20 minutes = 4 × (200W × 0.33 hrs) = 264 Wh per day
Example — Oxygen concentrator: a 400W device running 20 hrs/day = 8,000 Wh per day — this is why concentrators require generators, not battery banks
Not every backup power option works for every device. The daily energy calculation from Step 2 determines which category of backup is required.
Portable power stations (large battery banks)
Appropriate for CPAP/BiPAP, nebulizers, infusion pumps, device charging (wheelchair, hearing aids), and hospital bed adjustments. Models range from 500Wh to 2,000Wh+ and can power moderate-draw devices for 8-24+ hours depending on capacity and load. Not appropriate for continuous high-draw devices (oxygen concentrators, ventilators, home dialysis).
Manufacturer-approved battery accessories
Some devices — particularly CPAP machines and powered wheelchairs — have manufacturer-approved battery backup accessories designed for the device. These are the safest backup option when available. Ask your equipment supplier whether one exists for your model before purchasing a general-purpose battery station.
Generators — required for high-draw continuous devices
Oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and home dialysis equipment typically require more continuous power than battery stations can provide for multi-day outages. A portable or standby generator is required. Generator safety — CO risk from improper placement — is covered in detail at the Generator and Backup Power Safety guide. Confirm generator compatibility with your equipment supplier before use.
Some medical devices are sensitive to power quality — they may not function correctly, or may be damaged, by power from certain battery inverters or generators. The only reliable way to know is to ask your equipment supplier about your specific device and your specific backup power source.
The program most people don't know exists
Most major electric utilities in the United States have programs specifically for customers who use power-dependent medical equipment. These programs are underutilized — most eligible households have never registered because they did not know the programs exist.
What these programs may include varies significantly by utility and state. Not every utility offers every benefit listed below — call yours to find out what is available.2
Advance notice of planned outages
Some utilities notify registered medical customers before planned maintenance outages, giving time to arrange backup power or temporary relocation. Unplanned outages cannot be notified in advance, but planned maintenance (a common cause of brief outages) can.
Priority restoration lists
Some utilities maintain a list of addresses with life-support equipment for prioritized restoration after outages. This does not guarantee faster restoration — field conditions during major storms override priority lists — but it may influence dispatch decisions when restoration resources are being allocated.
Reduced rates or medical baseline rates
Some utilities offer reduced electricity rates for households with medical equipment that significantly increases energy consumption. These are called "medical baseline," "life support," or "CARE" programs depending on the utility.
How to register
Call your utility's customer service line and ask specifically about their "life support," "medical baseline," or "special medical needs" program
Registration typically requires a physician's signed statement documenting the medical need — ask what form is required
Renew annually — most programs require annual re-certification
Your utility's customer service number is on your monthly bill
2 Ready.gov. "People with Disabilities — Power-Dependent Needs." Ready.gov/people-disabilities — recommends contacting your power company to discuss any special needs related to power outages and to find out if there is a medical needs registry.
The decision to make before an outage
For any device where an extended power outage without backup creates a medical emergency, the relocation question should have a pre-established answer. The answer changes with the outage — 2 hours vs. 2 days requires different responses — but the threshold at which relocation becomes the right choice should be known before any outage begins.
Making this decision under outage conditions — when cell service may be degraded, when the weather causing the outage may make travel difficult, when stress and sleep deprivation affect judgment — produces worse decisions than making it in a normal conversation with your physician before the season.
The relocation conversation to have with your physician
These are planning questions for your physician, not clinical emergencies. The right time to ask is at a routine appointment, not during an outage.
Family or friend with power
The simplest relocation option for most households. Identify at least one contact within reasonable distance who would be available during an extended outage. Confirm the arrangement with them before any emergency.
Hotel or community resource
Hotels, warming/cooling centers, and community emergency shelters provide powered environments. Identify accessible options in your area before an outage. Confirm whether emergency shelters in your area accommodate medical equipment users.3
Pre-arranged hospital admission
For ventilator-dependent users and some oxygen-dependent users, the right emergency plan is a pre-arranged protocol with their physician: extended power loss triggers a hospital admission. This plan must be established before an emergency — do not attempt to arrange it during an outage.
3 Ready.gov. "People with Disabilities." Ready.gov/people-disabilities — recommends identifying community resources and pre-arranged plans for people who rely on power-dependent medical equipment.
Before any outage season
Free downloads
Medical Device Power Plan
Device name, wattage, daily hours, minimum backup needed, backup source — space for five devices. Worksheet format.
Household Medical Profile
Section 4 covers medical devices and power requirements — the correct place to record device wattage and backup information.
Who to contact
Your equipment supplier / durable medical equipment (DME) provider
For device wattage, backup power compatibility, internal battery status, and whether a manufacturer-approved battery accessory exists for your model.
Your electric utility
For medical baseline or life-support program registration. Phone number is on your monthly bill — ask specifically about "life support" or "special medical needs" programs.
Your prescribing physician
For the relocation threshold discussion — at what point does missing device use become a clinical concern, and what is the pre-arranged plan for extended outages.
Your local emergency management office
To register with any county-level special needs registry and to identify community resources (warming/cooling centers, accessible shelters) for extended outages. Find your office at Ready.gov.
Related guides
Backup Power Systems
Generator sizing, battery systems, and whole-home backup power — the engineering depth for medical device planning.
Generator Safety
CO risk, outdoor placement, distance requirements — essential reading before using any generator for medical equipment.
Refrigerated Medications
Insulin, biologics, and other temperature-sensitive medications during power outages.
Power Outage Guide
The full household power outage protocol — from the first 2 hours through multi-day events.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Benjamin Franklin
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