When the power goes out, health risks rise

Tens of thousands of people are currently without power in California, Texas and Arkansas, as wildfires ravage the West and a winter storm hits the South.

Research shows when the power fails, it also raises the risk of a host of health concerns — from gastrointestinal illness to heart attacks and even burns.

“We see a host of things happen when the power goes out,” says Joan Casey, an associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and epidemiology at the University of Washington who has studied the health risks associated with power outages.

“We see increases in cardiorespiratory hospitalizations. We’ve seen increases in carbon monoxide poisoning because people use generators incorrectly. And our group has also found increases in injuries in children, including increases in burns after power outages started,” Casey says. That’s likely a result of people using candles for lighting or gas stoves to generate heat.

Motor-vehicle crashes also tend to rise during power outages, likely because traffic signals and street lights aren’t working.

“We also know that when people are under stress, they drive more erratically and get into more crashes,” she says.

When power outages stretch out over several days, incidents of gastrointestinal illness often rise, Casey says. That’s because a lack of electricity not only leads to food spoiling in refrigerators, but it can also interrupt operations at water treatment plants and pump stations.

She notes power outages frequently occur alongside extreme weather events or natural disasters such as wildfires. That kind of double whammy amplifies the health risks involved.

“It’s this confluence of events that happens with climate change that really blows up these events and makes them much, much worse than they would have been otherwise,” Casey says.

Human-caused climate change makes large, destructive wildfires more likely because of hotter temperatures and drier vegetation.

While power outages affect everyone, the people most affected tend to be young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those who rely on electricity-dependent medical equipment like oxygen or home dialysis machines, she says.

“What’s kind of an inconvenience for me could be a life-threatening situation for someone who can’t breathe well without an oxygen concentrator in their home,” Casey notes.

The best way to protect yourself in these situations is to plan ahead, says Alyssa Provencio, an associate professor and expert in disaster management at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Here are some things to consider:

For people who rely on electricity-powered medical devices

Check to see if the device has a battery backup which you can use if it’s available. Contact your local utility company to let them know that you rely on a medical device.

“If that is the case, you actually may have power restored earlier because they tend to prioritize those restorations,” Provencio says.

Some local utility companies also have programs that provide a battery power bank to people who use home medical equipment.

If you’ve got medications that require refrigeration

Provencio says most refrigerated medications are safe for one to two days at room temperature, though that can vary, so check with your doctor or pharmacist about your specific prescription. Storing them in coolers can help maintain the temperature, even without ice packs — though obviously use them if you’ve got them, she says.

Keep batteries and flashlights on hand

Try to use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns and avoid using candles if possible. Candles can easily tip over and ignite flammable materials making them a risky choice for lighting when the electricity is out.

Try not to open the fridge too much

Provencio says food in general will stay safe for up to four hours if the refrigerator is not opened, and up to 48 hours in a full freezer, or 24 hours in one that’s half-full.

“The more food that you have in your freezer, the longer it will stay cold because all of those foods are frozen,” she says.

Keep bottled water and canned food on hand if you can.

Conserve heat as best as you can

If your home is heated by electricity, you can hunker down in one room with the rest of your family or roommates to trap heat in, and try not to open a lot of doors. Keep extra blankets, clothing and sleeping bags on hand.

Sign up for emergency alerts

Provencio says most emergency alert systems are opt in, so you have to sign up for them in order to receive them.

“People don’t always know that,” she says. “They think that they are going to automatically receive alerts,” but that’s not always the case.

Don’t forget about emotional and mental well-being

“Often if there is a power outage, we think that we have to be isolated,” Provencio says. “And we can still use our phones to call or text to check in on loved ones, especially those that are most vulnerable, making sure that they have what they need.”

So always keep a portable battery charger fully charged. She says try to keep puzzles, books, games, and other activities that don’t rely on screen time on-hand so you have something to keep your mind occupied.

This story was edited by Jane Greenhalgh