What should an oxygen-dependent person do when the power goes out?

Switch immediately to your backup oxygen supply, whether that is backup cylinders, a portable concentrator on battery, or both. Call your oxygen supplier. Call your electric utility company to report the outage and let them know you use life-sustaining equipment. The FDA advises that if you depend on a device to keep you alive, seek emergency services immediately if you cannot maintain your supply. Do not wait until your backup is running low to make these calls.

How long will a backup oxygen cylinder last?

Duration depends on the cylinder size, the prescribed flow rate, and whether you are using continuous flow or pulse dose. Your oxygen supplier can calculate the runtime for your specific prescription and cylinder size. The general guidance from home oxygen providers is to maintain 24 to 48 hours of backup cylinder supply at all times. Never let backup cylinders run to empty before reordering.

Is it safe to use a generator with an oxygen concentrator?

A generator can power a home oxygen concentrator during an outage, but it introduces its own hazard: carbon monoxide poisoning. The FDA is explicit that generators must never be run inside a house, garage, or basement, even with doors and windows open. Carbon monoxide is odorless and can build to lethal levels within minutes. The generator must be placed outdoors, well away from windows and vents. Oxygen use also creates a fire and burn risk: NFPA data shows an average of 228 home fires per year involving oxygen equipment, with an average of 96 deaths annually. Do not smoke, and avoid open flames within the household when oxygen is in use.

Oxygen and Power-Outage Planning

How a concentrator works

It pulls oxygen from the air around it.

An oxygen concentrator does not store oxygen. It draws in room air, removes the nitrogen, and delivers concentrated oxygen continuously. That process requires an electric motor running constantly. The moment household power stops, so does the oxygen supply.

This is different from an oxygen tank or cylinder, which stores compressed oxygen and delivers it without electricity. Understanding this difference is the foundation of the backup plan: the concentrator is not the backup. It needs a backup.

Home concentrator

Runs on household AC power (110-120V)
Delivers continuous or pulse-dose oxygen
Typical draw: 150 to 600 watts depending on model and flow rate
Stops producing oxygen the moment power is lost

Portable concentrator

Runs on rechargeable battery, AC, or DC (car/vehicle power)
Most deliver pulse-dose only; some deliver continuous flow
Battery runtime typically 4 to 8 hours per charge depending on model and setting
Can be recharged from a vehicle or portable power station

Not every oxygen prescription can be met by a portable concentrator. Some continuous-flow prescriptions at higher liter rates require a home unit or cylinder. Ask your prescribing doctor and oxygen supplier specifically whether a portable concentrator can cover your prescription.

Fire safety with oxygen

Oxygen changes what fire does.

Fires burn hotter and faster in oxygen-enriched environments. Items that would smolder in ordinary air can ignite quickly when oxygen is present at elevated concentrations. The NFPA reports an average of 228 home fires per year involving oxygen administration equipment, with an average of 96 deaths annually. Smoking is by far the leading cause of these fires.

These risks do not disappear during a power outage. If you switch to a cylinder or portable concentrator, the oxygen is still present. The fire rules still apply.

Oxygen fire rules, always in effect

No smoking in the home. This is the leading cause of oxygen fires. Anyone in or visiting the home should not smoke while oxygen equipment is in use.
No gas lights, candles, or open flames. During a power outage, the temptation to use candles for light is real. The FDA specifically advises using battery-powered flashlights and lanterns rather than gas lights or torches when oxygen is in use.
Keep oxygen away from heat sources. The concentrator, tubing, and any cylinders should be at least several feet from stoves, heaters, radiators, and fireplaces.
Cylinders store pressurized oxygen. A cylinder knocked over and damaged can release oxygen rapidly. Store cylinders upright, secured so they cannot tip, in a cool ventilated area.
Post an oxygen-in-use sign. Fire departments and EMS should know before they enter. Your oxygen supplier can provide these; they are also standard items in home medical supply stores.

Sources: NFPA, "Fires and Burns Involving Home Medical Oxygen," nfpa.org. FDA, "Medical Devices and Natural Disasters," fda.gov. Accessed August 2026.

Backup options

Three layers, used in order.

No single backup method covers every situation. The oxygen plan that works during a two-hour outage may not work during a three-day weather event. Build layers, know how long each one lasts, and have the calls to make before the last layer is exhausted.

1

Portable concentrator on battery (short outages)

If you have a portable oxygen concentrator, switch to it when the power goes out. Most portable units run 4 to 8 hours per battery charge at typical settings. Spare batteries extend this. The unit can be recharged from a vehicle's 12V outlet or from a portable power station once the home AC is gone.

Know your unit's runtime at your prescribed setting before an outage, not during one. Confirm with your oxygen supplier whether your prescription can be filled by your portable unit's output mode (pulse vs. continuous).

Useful for: outages of a few hours to a day, depending on battery count and prescription.

2

Backup oxygen cylinders (medium outages)

Cylinders contain compressed oxygen and deliver it without electricity. Your oxygen supplier can provide and refill cylinders as part of your regular service. Home oxygen providers generally recommend keeping 24 to 48 hours of backup cylinder supply on hand at all times.

Know how to switch from your concentrator to your cylinder before you need to. Practice the connection with your caregiver so neither of you is reading the instructions during an emergency at midnight.

When a cylinder is running low, call your supplier for a delivery. Do not wait until the cylinder is empty. Most home oxygen suppliers have 24-hour emergency lines for exactly this situation.

Useful for: outages of several hours to a few days, depending on cylinder count and flow rate.

3

Generator to power the home concentrator (extended outages)

A generator can restore AC power to the home concentrator, eliminating the runtime limits of batteries and cylinders. But it introduces a serious hazard: carbon monoxide. The FDA is unambiguous that generators must never be operated inside a house, garage, or basement, even with doors or windows open. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless and can build to dangerous levels within minutes.

The generator must run outdoors, away from windows and vents. A transfer switch or extension cord rated for the concentrator's wattage safely connects the machine. Check your concentrator's wattage requirement against the generator's capacity before an emergency, not during one.

Useful for: extended outages when cylinder delivery is unavailable. Requires outdoor space and advance setup.

Before the next outage

Four calls to make now, not then.

All of this takes longer to arrange during an outage than before one. The calls below take a few minutes each. The arrangements they create can cover days.

Call your electric utility

Most electric utilities maintain a medical priority list for customers who use life-sustaining equipment. Being on this list means your address is flagged during outage restoration. It does not guarantee faster power, but it does mean crews know about the medical need.

The FDA advises notifying your electric company and fire department that you have a medical device requiring power. Call your utility's customer service line and ask about their life-sustaining equipment or medical baseline program.

Call your oxygen supplier

Your home oxygen supplier is the most important call in an extended outage. They can arrange emergency cylinder delivery, advise on your specific equipment's backup options, and tell you how long your cylinders will last at your prescribed flow rate.

Ask them now: what is their after-hours emergency number? What is the process for emergency cylinder delivery? How much notice do they need? Write these answers down and put them in your household binder.

Notify your local fire department

Many local fire departments maintain a list of addresses where medical oxygen is in use. During a house fire or emergency response, this information helps crews know what they are entering. Call the non-emergency line and ask whether they maintain such a list and how to register.

Post an oxygen-in-use sign on your front door. Your oxygen supplier can provide these; they alert any first responder to the oxygen present before entry.

Ask your prescribing doctor

Ask your doctor two specific questions: Can my oxygen needs be met by a portable pulse-dose concentrator? And: if home backup fails during an extended outage, what facility should I go to?

Some oxygen-dependent patients can temporarily reduce activity to lower their oxygen demand during an outage. Others cannot safely do so. Your doctor knows your specific condition and can advise on what flexibility exists in your plan.

When home backup is not enough

The plan B that gets you out of the house.

Some outage scenarios last longer than any home backup system can sustain. A major storm, a damaged grid, or a multi-day regional disaster may mean that staying home is no longer viable for someone who depends on oxygen. This is the scenario to plan for before it happens.

Know which shelters have medical-grade power

Your local emergency management office can tell you whether there is a designated medical-needs shelter in your area, and whether it has power for oxygen concentrators. This call costs five minutes and gives you a destination before you need one. The number is usually on your county or city emergency management website.

Know your evacuation destination

If you would leave for a family member's home, a hotel, or an assisted living facility during an extended outage, call that destination now and verify that they have electrical outlets suitable for your concentrator. Hotel rooms typically do; remote family homes may not have reliable power during the same event affecting yours.

Know what to bring

Your go-bag for an oxygen-dependent evacuation should include your oxygen prescription, your supplier's emergency phone number, your backup cylinders and appropriate connections, portable concentrator and all batteries, your medication list, and your insurance and Medicare information. Your oxygen supplier can advise on transporting cylinders safely in a vehicle.

If you cannot arrange backup

The FDA states clearly: if you depend on a device to keep you alive and backup is unavailable, seek emergency services. Call 911. Alert them that you depend on oxygen. This is the correct decision when the alternative is going without.

What to have written down

The information that matters during the outage.

This list belongs in the household binder, on paper, and with any caregiver or substitute caregiver. Not only in a phone that may be uncharged.

Oxygen supplier name, main number, and 24-hour emergency number
Oxygen prescription: prescribed flow rate, delivery mode (continuous or pulse), and liter-per-minute setting
Concentrator model and wattage requirement (for generator compatibility)
Backup cylinder count and estimated runtime at prescribed flow rate
How to connect the nasal cannula or mask to the cylinder (step by step, tested in advance)
Electric utility customer service number and account number for medical priority registration
Local medical-needs shelter address and contact (from county emergency management)
Prescribing doctor's office number and after-hours line

Connected guides

Oxygen therapy needs a power plan.