Preparing for the Storm: 3 Checklist Items for At-Home Ventilator Safety

COVID-19 made 'ventilators' a buzz word. Newscasters, politicians, and medical professionals from every corner of the country and every angle of the political spectrum are talking about ventilators and how many different hospitals and regional areas have or need. However, one thing that didn't get a lot of coverage is that a portion of the population already has access to ventilators and that at-home ventilators have proved a huge boon for people who suffer from long term or chronic respiratory issues like chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

For many people with such ailments, an at-home ventilator has long been a life-saving piece of equipment, as it helps keep a person out of the expensive, alienating hospital system in which they risk catching other ailments and at home where they can rest and stay healthy in comfort. That said, at-home ventilators do come with one major drawback and that is ready access to power. American hospital systems all have at least one back-up electric system, if not two, so that should a storm or other event disrupt power, they won't risk the health and well-being of patients on powered medical devices like ventilators. At home, it's up to you to ensure you are prepared with a checklist and biomedical batteries that will prevent an electrical outage from becoming a medical emergency. Create that checklist today by including these three important steps:

Preparing for the Storm: 3 Things to Add to Your At-Home Ventilator Safety Checklist

1. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and talk to an expert when unsure. All at-home ventilators, and all ventilators in general, will come equipped with a built-in system designed to switch from home power to biomedical batteries in the event of an electrical surge or outage. That said, it's important not just to expect the system to take care of itself. Work with a respiratory therapist or someone experienced in the specific make and model of ventilator you have, to go through the manufacturer's instructions and understand how your specific backup system works. For example, it's important to understand how to remove and install biomedical batteries and what alerts and buttons specific to the back-up system mean.
2. Set-up your ventilator for safety. While you may not be able to predict a storm, you can help prevent something like an electrical surge from happening and improve the safety around the ventilator. A few simple ways to do this include choosing an outlet for your ventilator and only using it for the ventilator, keeping the ventilator as close as possible to the electrical outlet, and keeping backup biomedical batteries in a room separate from the ventilator. 
3. Know your alternate power options. Biomedical batteries are great for keeping ventilators going, but you will still need a way to charge them and to power other sensitive medical devices. If you rely heavily on your ventilator, other electronic equipment, and/or live in an area where a power cut-out is likely (ie a hurricane-prone state or in areas of the Midwest prone to heavy thunderstorms, hailstorms, and tornados), then you should strongly consider either adding a backup generator or having an ample amount of backup biomedical batteries. This will help ensure you have the medical devices you need to see you through a crisis.

Learn More About Biomedical Batteries and Other Types of Batteries

At MK Battery, we are proud to provide our individual clients and organizations with the highest-quality and most environmentally responsible batteries in the world for specialized deep-cycle and standby power uses. Our friendly sales team is here to answer any of your questions, including helping you find the right biomedical batteries for your equipment. Contact us today to learn more about our products and find the right energy solutions for your needs.