People who depend on electrical equipment to treat a health problem should have a plan in advance of a power outage.

In some cases, this may mean purchasing a back-up power supply such as a generator or going to a health care facility that has back-up power. To accommodate any respiratory equipment such as respirators, oxygen, or other electrical medical equipment, you should make a plan with your doctor. You may also want to check with the medical equipment suppliers to see if they have specific recommendations for your equipment. If any equipment needs batteries, have a week's supply of fresh batteries.

People who use life-support equipment should register with the local utility. When you do this, the utility will try to make you a top priority for power supply repair and restoration.

If you do use a portable generator as an emergency power supply, it is important to use the generator safely. Information on proper generator safety can be found at: www.osha.gov/Publications/3277-10N-05-english-06-27-2007.html.