CPAP and a Power Outage: Questions to Ask Before the Lights Go Out

If you use prescribed CPAP or BPAP, the question “What would I do tonight if the power went out?” deserves an answer before you are searching for one in the dark. Start the conversation while your usual equipment is available.

Open with the treatment you already use

ATS recommends making an emergency medical plan with healthcare providers and equipment services. People using CPAP or BPAP should have a home backup plan for a power outage, including a plan for transport to medical care if needed.¹

You can begin: “Which backup power option suits my prescribed device?”

Leave space to record whom you spoke with and their instructions.

Have the equipment details beside you

ATS recommends keeping equipment details, including type, model, make and settings, with supplier contact information. Record your prescribed settings; this is a reference for the plan, not an instruction to change them.¹

Try: “These are my equipment details. What other information do you need to help with the plan?”

Keep the supplier’s instructions with that list. If something in the instructions is unclear, ask the supplier to explain it before relying on it during an outage. This conversation does not provide permission to skip prescribed treatment.

Ask about a place to go

Ask local services what support is available for people who use PAP and which shelters can meet your medical needs. ATS also recommends an alternative place to go and a way to get there.¹

Try: “If I cannot stay home, which location can meet my needs, and how should I arrange getting there?”

Write down the contact and the answer you receive. Check the arrangements with anyone who would help you travel, so the plan does not depend on an unanswered assumption.

Check the assumptions in the plan

A utility-company arrangement belongs alongside a backup plan. Do not assume a hospital will admit you during a disaster unless it is a medical emergency; some hospitals may also be closed.¹

Ask: “Which arrangements are confirmed, and what is the alternative if one is unavailable?”

Keep a copy of the completed plan somewhere you can find it. A relative or other person helping you can keep a copy too. Revisit the contact details when your equipment or care arrangements change.

Did I Do That in My Sleep? includes a Sleep Gear Decoder and a Visit Brief. Use them to organize the equipment details and questions you want your care team to address. See the book.