The Effect of an 18-Hour Electrical Power Outage on an Urban Emergency Medical Services System

Abstract

Loss of power can cause a dramatic but short-term increase in call volume and lead to a disaster-like situation. EMS resources may be conserved by proactively assisting patients with home medical devices before they develop emergent conditions. Such a patient population might benefit, for example, from home deliveries of portable oxygen tanks or from the creation of temporary facilities that provide a climate-controlled environment and electrically powered medical devices.