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The short answer on preparing for a power outage with cancer
For most people a blackout is a nuisance. During cancer treatment it can mean a warm fridge full of medicine, or a clinic that's closed on the day you're due in. Most of the protection happens before the lights go out: your treatment written on paper, a week of supplies, a plan for anything that needs the fridge or the wall socket, and a call to your care team about what happens if you miss a dose or a visit.
What to know before the next outage
- Write your treatment down on paper. Your phone may be dead when someone needs your regimen and your oncologist's number.
- Plan for three to seven days. The National Institute on Aging suggests at least that much in supplies, including a gallon of water per person per day.
- Ask about refrigerated medicine now. Your pharmacist can tell you how long each one can sit out, and what to do if it gets warm.
- Tell your utility if you use medical equipment. In a New York City survey, only 40% of households with someone who depended on electric medical equipment were registered for early outage alerts.
Why does a power outage matter more during cancer treatment?
Some treatments, including chemotherapy, can lower your white blood cell count, which makes infections more likely. Memorial Sloan Kettering and the Oncology Nursing Society both build their emergency advice around that risk. A blackout makes it harder to keep food cold and a port or drain clean.
Medicine is the second concern. The FDA says medicines that need refrigeration may lose strength if they get too warm. Then there's access. After Hurricane Ike in 2008, some Texas cancer clinics stayed closed for two days or longer, according to the Oncology Nursing Society.
The research on outages in general points the same way. A 2020 review of 50 studies found carbon monoxide poisoning was the most consistently documented harm, and that people who rely on electric medical equipment are among those most at risk. The National Institute on Aging cites research finding that only about 25% of older adults who use essential electric medical equipment have a backup power source.
What should you write down before the lights go out?
Put this on paper, in a sealed plastic bag, in your go-bag. A copy on a flash drive or in your email is a good backup, not a replacement.
- Your cancer in one paragraph: the exact diagnosis, the stage, your treatment and where you are in the cycle.
- Clinical trial details, if you're in one: the trial number (it starts with NCT), the lead investigator and their phone number.
- Your care team: names, roles, hospital, daytime numbers and the after-hours line.
- Your medicines: every prescription and over-the-counter medicine, with doses, plus your pharmacy's phone number and copies of your prescriptions.
- Insurance cards, both medical and prescription.
- Advance directives, such as a health care proxy, if you have them.
- Emergency contacts, one local and one out of state.
When a storm is forecast, the Oncology Nursing Society suggests asking your care team to print your treatment orders and latest labs. If you have to see a doctor somewhere else, that stack saves hours.
What goes in your go-bag?
Start with the standard emergency kit. The National Institute on Aging lists water, non-perishable food, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit, warm blankets, a change of clothes, glasses and hearing aids, and your health documents. The Delaware Division of Public Health adds a battery or hand-crank radio, a manual can opener, paper plates and cash in small bills, in case ATMs and banks are closed. You don't have to buy it all at once. Delaware's health department suggests building a kit a little each week.
Then add the cancer layer.
- A week of your daily medicines, kept together in one place.
- Side-effect medicines for nausea, diarrhea, constipation and fever. Ask your team which ones fit your regimen. Memorial Sloan Kettering, for example, tells patients taking capecitabine (Xeloda) or 5-FU to pack loperamide (Imodium).
- Infection supplies: a thermometer, hand sanitizer, alcohol pads, antibiotic ointment and clean dressings, stored in a sealable bag. Add face masks if your counts are low.
- Supplies for anything attached to you: dressings for a port or central line, plus drain or ostomy supplies. If you have a port, the Oncology Nursing Society suggests packing the needles used to access it, in case you're treated somewhere new.
- Power for your phone: a charger, a charged battery pack and a car charger.
- Something that makes you feel like yourself. The National Institute on Aging includes comfort items in its kit list. A good book and your own pillowcase count.
If a storm is on the way, fill the bathtub and a few large containers. You'll want water for flushing and cleaning, on top of what you drink. Keep the kit near a door, and test the flashlights and chargers every few months.
What should you do about medicines that need the fridge?
Ask your pharmacist now, not during the outage, which of your medicines need refrigeration and how long each one can safely be out. The National Institute on Aging suggests asking your doctor whether there's a substitute that doesn't need to stay cold.
If the power goes out, move refrigerated medicine to a cooler with ice packs and keep a thermometer inside so you can check it against the temperature on the label. PowerOutage.us suggests two coolers: one for drinks and snacks you open all day, and one you rarely open. Your medicine belongs in the second. If the outage lasts longer than a day, the American Lung Association suggests calling your pharmacist or care team.
If a medicine got warm, don't guess. The FDA says to check its storage instructions or ask a pharmacist whether it's still usable. For a life-sustaining medicine with no replacement available, the FDA says you can keep using it until you get a new supply, then replace it as soon as possible. Any medicine that touched floodwater should be thrown out, even in its original container.
What if something you rely on plugs in?
List every device you use that needs electricity, such as an oxygen concentrator or an infusion pump. Then ask your supplier two questions: how long does the battery last, and is there a backup that doesn't need power, like an oxygen tank? Memorial Sloan Kettering advises a battery backup or a generator for life-sustaining equipment.
Next, call your electric company and ask about its medical needs program. The American Lung Association says many utilities offer one, and enrolling can get you advance notice of planned outages and may speed restoration in an emergency. If you don't have backup power and the electricity goes out, Memorial Sloan Kettering says to contact your utility right away.
Finally, show a friend or neighbor how your backup works, and ask them to check on you when the power goes out. The American Red Cross suggests labeling your equipment and attaching laminated instructions, so anyone helping can follow them.
Is the food in your fridge still safe?
Probably for less time than you think. According to FoodSafety.gov, a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for up to four hours. A full freezer holds for about 48 hours, and a half-full one for about 24. Keep the doors shut, and keep an appliance thermometer in each. Refrigerated food should stay at 40°F or below.
After four hours without power, throw out perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers. Never taste food to check it. If your white blood cell count is low, lean toward throwing it out.
How do you use a generator safely?
Generators keep a lot of people going through long outages. They also produce carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell. So do camp stoves and charcoal grills, so keep those outside too. The American Lung Association says to run a generator only outdoors, at least 20 feet from doors, windows and air vents.
Put battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms on every floor, including near where you sleep. After one ice storm, more than 95% of severe carbon monoxide cases happened in homes without a detector, according to the 2020 review. If an alarm goes off, get outside first and call 911 from there.
Who should know your plan?
The American Red Cross suggests building your plan around your lowest expected level of functioning, not your best day. During treatment, that might mean planning for the days right after an infusion.
Your care team. At your next visit, ask what to do if the clinic closes or you miss a treatment, and how to reach them when the phones are down. CancerCare also suggests asking which supplies to keep on hand and what to tell another doctor if you have to see one.
Two neighbors or friends. The Red Cross suggests more than one person who will check on you, so there's a backup if one can't. Give each of them a copy of your paper summary.
Your local government. If you couldn't evacuate on your own, the National Institute on Aging suggests letting your local government know. Some keep a list of people who may need help.
Your insurer. If you have to relocate, CancerCare suggests calling your insurer to find in-network oncologists and hospitals near where you are.
If you end up in a shelter, tell the staff you're in cancer treatment and list every medicine you take. To find an open shelter, the National Institute on Aging says you can text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362.
Your outage checklist
Get ready before the lights go out.
Tap to check things off, add your own, and send what's left to whoever is helping you get ready. Your checks stay on this device.
Your care team's instructions come first. Items marked Ask your team first involve medicine or wound care.
Nothing matches. Try another word, or add it to "My own items."
When to call your care team during an outage
- You have a fever, especially if your counts are low
- You're due for treatment and the clinic is closed or you can't get there
- A medicine got warm, wet or ran out
- Your port, line or drain site is red, swollen, painful or leaking
- A device you depend on is running out of battery
For a medical emergency, or if a carbon monoxide alarm goes off, call 911. The National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service can also help with continuing treatment after a disaster: 1-800-422-6237 (1-800-4-CANCER).
Questions to ask your care team about outages
- If the clinic closes or I miss a treatment, what's the plan?
- Which of my medicines need the fridge, and how long can each one be out?
- Which side-effect medicines should I keep at home for my treatment?
- What's the after-hours number, and is there a backup if the phones are down?
- Can you print my treatment summary and latest labs for my go-bag?
Sources: National Institute on Aging, Disaster Preparedness and Recovery for Older Adults and 10 Emergency Kit Essentials; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Safe Drug Use After a Natural Disaster; FoodSafety.gov, Avoid Foodborne Illness During Temporary Power Outages (updated September 18, 2023); Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Disaster and Emergency Preparedness for People With Cancer (updated July 17, 2023); Oncology Nursing Society, Cancer Care When Disaster Strikes (2017); CancerCare, Coping With Cancer and Natural Disasters (2019); American Lung Association, Power Outage Preparation for Medical Device Users (updated October 23, 2025); Colazzo N and Ader D, Get a Plan; Make a Kit, Delaware Journal of Public Health, 2019; PowerOutage.us, Power Outage Emergency Kit (updated March 26, 2026); American Red Cross, Inclusive Preparedness Resources; Casey JA et al., Power outages and community health: a narrative review, Current Environmental Health Reports, 2020; Dominianni C et al., Power Outage Preparedness and Concern among Vulnerable New York City Residents, Journal of Urban Health, 2018. This article is general information, written in Babette's own words, and is not a substitute for advice from your care team.
