March 2008

Prepare Now for Medical Electricity Needs

Critical step for life-support, other patients

If your health and wellbeing depend on electric power, it is absolutely necessary that you have a contingency plan for prolonged power outages.

Although Walton EMC has stellar reliability (99.9 percent most years), an act of nature like a devastating ice storm or tropical system can still cause a prolonged, widespread power outage. An outage of this magnitude can last from a few hours to several days.

Rest assured, we’ll be working as quickly as possible to restore your electric service. But in catastrophic outages, miles of line may have to be repaired before service to your particular location returns.

Even if the wires connected directly to your home are not affected, lines upstream may be destroyed.

“If you use an oxygen machine, infusion pump, hospital bed or any other medical equipment powered by electricity, you need a backup,” says Walton EMC’s Greg Brooks. “Patients should consult their heath care provider to determine the best course of action.”

Probably the first backup that comes to mind is an alternate power source, like a small gasoline-powered generator. If you go this route, have an electrician install the proper transfer switch or plug devices directly into the generator to avoid back feeding.

Back feeding occurs when generators are not isolated from Walton EMC’s electric system. Electricity flows backward from the generator out to our power lines where they become re-energized. This becomes a hazard for anyone who comes in contact with them, especially our line technicians.

Other backup plans can include having extra supplies on hand or going to a hotel or friend’s or relative’s home in another town.

“Plan now so you won’t be caught in a desperate situation,” says Brooks. “You want your loved one to stay as safe and comfortable as possible until we get the power restored.”

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