Power outages are more than an inconvenience if you rely on refrigerated medication, electrical medical equipment, or a landline-dependent medical alert system.
If you use electrical medical equipment
Register with your utility company's medical priority or vulnerable customer program if one exists — many utilities restore power faster or notify these customers first during planned outages.
Backup power basics
A battery backup or generator sized for medical equipment specifically (not the whole house) is often a more affordable and manageable option than a full-home system.
Communication during an outage
Confirm your medical alert system has cellular backup, since landline-based systems can fail during extended outages if your provider's own backup power runs out.
Keep a printed copy of emergency contacts — a dead phone during an outage means no access to digital-only contact lists.