BTW, if you can't afford either the generator or the oxygen, talk to the pulmonary doctor who prescribed the oxygen. They may have some suggestions, but if you need oxygen and have Medicare (and a supplemental plan such as Medigap), the rental and usage are free. We never paid one cent for the oxygen.
If you're a Veteran, check with the VA; I'm not familiar with their position re oxygen.
Robert, is the person in question on oxygen 24/hours a day? If so, I assume you have a stationary concentrator, plus emergency back-up "E" tanks?
I'd like to share our experience with a power outage. My father used oxygen 24/7; we had several backup E tanks, each lasting about 6 hours. We also had a portable unit which was battery operated. Each battery powered the unit for about 2 hours. But w/o power, it couldn't be recharged.
An electrical power failure knocked out power for about 1 million people, including my father. Obviously, we had no idea how long the outage would last. W/o the stationery concentrator operating, we had to fall back on the E tanks, of which we had only about 6, which would last for one full day and part of another.
I would have to drive to my father's or move in there and change the tanks. We decided that wasn't a good option, b/c we didn't even have tanks for more than 2 days and also b/c I would have to bring food out, but there was no way to heat it.
So I called, and called and called, hospitals, ALs, rehabs, trying to find temporary arrangements for my father. Most of the ALs and rehabs wouldn't accept him even on a temporary basis w/o a recent chest x-ray. We had about 4 hours before he ran out of oxygen.
I called the Fire Department; they would take him to the hospital if he ran out of oxygen, but also having called the local hospital, I knew they would just check him out and release him. They had no temporary units for that need.
Eventually I considered calling motels, but given that power was out throughout several counties, we would have to drive quite a ways to find a motel with power. Sometimes I wish I had done that though, b/c at least food would be available (although it wouldn't be compliant with a dysphagia diet).
Long story made short, I was trying to find a really workable solution. It came in the form of a very, very compassionate and helpful Senior Center worker whose husband was a fireman. She found a temporary, FREE assisted living place with which they worked in their capacity in the Senior Center. She and her husband came to his house, helped him pack clothing and took him to the AL. They were closer than I was, so that's why they took him, and not me.
Long story...this was literally a crisis situation. And the only help I got was from this very compassionate woman at the Senior Center. One of the AL staff managed to find a stationary concentrator.
The outage lasted from Wed. through Sunday. I of course visited him regularly, but he had a very nice room and bathroom for his use, no roommates, and free food. And he wasn't alone, so it was safer than being at home.
I checked his house during the power (after shutting off the water); the temp was 43 on the day before he came home.
If I ever have to go on oxygen, I definitely would contract to have a generator installed. It can be a disaster if you don't.
My Mom was also given one of those old tanks. We never needed to use it. Our County Emergency services will provide generators. I would start there putting your LO on the list. My husband is on the list because he is almost deaf. We had a evacuation for a gas leak years ago. They went around on the Fire truck announcing to evacuate. My DH didn't hear it. So he is on the list that they need to knock on the door and make sure he is home.
When my husband was on 24/7 oxygen and under hospice care, the folks that provided his oxygen concentrator also provided us with a large oxygen tank that he was to use in case we ever lost power, and he couldn't use the oxygen concentrator. You may want to check with the folks that provide your oxygen concentrator to make sure they drop off a large tank of oxygen, just to be safe.
Please also let the Electric provider know that there is someone in the house that uses oxygen. If there is a power outage they do try to restore those as soon as possible. This is also for the Gas company or Oil company if you use gas or oil. Let them know there is a vulnerable person so they can do what they can to restore service as soon as they can. Might even want to let Emergency Services know as well they may offer temp emergency shelter in some circumstances
If you're a Veteran, check with the VA; I'm not familiar with their position re oxygen.
I'd like to share our experience with a power outage. My father used oxygen 24/7; we had several backup E tanks, each lasting about 6 hours. We also had a portable unit which was battery operated. Each battery powered the unit for about 2 hours. But w/o power, it couldn't be recharged.
An electrical power failure knocked out power for about 1 million people, including my father. Obviously, we had no idea how long the outage would last. W/o the stationery concentrator operating, we had to fall back on the E tanks, of which we had only about 6, which would last for one full day and part of another.
I would have to drive to my father's or move in there and change the tanks. We decided that wasn't a good option, b/c we didn't even have tanks for more than 2 days and also b/c I would have to bring food out, but there was no way to heat it.
So I called, and called and called, hospitals, ALs, rehabs, trying to find temporary arrangements for my father. Most of the ALs and rehabs wouldn't accept him even on a temporary basis w/o a recent chest x-ray. We had about 4 hours before he ran out of oxygen.
I called the Fire Department; they would take him to the hospital if he ran out of oxygen, but also having called the local hospital, I knew they would just check him out and release him. They had no temporary units for that need.
Eventually I considered calling motels, but given that power was out throughout several counties, we would have to drive quite a ways to find a motel with power. Sometimes I wish I had done that though, b/c at least food would be available (although it wouldn't be compliant with a dysphagia diet).
Long story made short, I was trying to find a really workable solution. It came in the form of a very, very compassionate and helpful Senior Center worker whose husband was a fireman. She found a temporary, FREE assisted living place with which they worked in their capacity in the Senior Center. She and her husband came to his house, helped him pack clothing and took him to the AL. They were closer than I was, so that's why they took him, and not me.
Long story...this was literally a crisis situation. And the only help I got was from this very compassionate woman at the Senior Center. One of the AL staff managed to find a stationary concentrator.
The outage lasted from Wed. through Sunday. I of course visited him regularly, but he had a very nice room and bathroom for his use, no roommates, and free food. And he wasn't alone, so it was safer than being at home.
I checked his house during the power (after shutting off the water); the temp was 43 on the day before he came home.
If I ever have to go on oxygen, I definitely would contract to have a generator installed. It can be a disaster if you don't.
This is also for the Gas company or Oil company if you use gas or oil. Let them know there is a vulnerable person so they can do what they can to restore service as soon as they can.
Might even want to let Emergency Services know as well they may offer temp emergency shelter in some circumstances