{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Home Accessibility Therapist Podcast","title":"S1E12: Blog-to-Audio | When the Power Goes Out: Disaster Planning for Clients With Electricity-Dependent Equipment","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/4f2904f1\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":927,"description":"SummaryThis episode is an audio version of our blog, “When the Power Goes Out: Disaster Planning for Clients With Electricity-Dependent Equipment.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through how power outages turn from inconvenience to crisis for clients who rely on powered medical equipment, so you can systematically build outage planning into your OT assessments and protect function, safety, and life.In this episode, we cover:Why clients who depend on powered equipment (ventilators, oxygen concentrators, power wheelchairs, lifts, hospital beds, smart home systems) are among the most vulnerable in disasters, and why standard emergency checklists are not enough.Five practical OT actions you can start using immediately: creating a detailed equipment inventory, connecting clients to utility life-support registries, developing written power-failure protocols, ensuring and practicing manual mobility options, and rehearsing evacuation or backup routines before a crisis.How to think through the “cascade effect” of outages—elevators, doors, smart home controls, medication dispensers, and communication devices failing in sequence—and how OTs can respond both at the individual home level and by advocating for system-wide preparedness in agencies, shelters, and discharge planning.Read the full blog and see visuals:Read the article: https://thehomeaccessibilitytherapist.blog/2026/05/29/when-the-power-goes-out-ots-critical-role-in-emergency-planning-for-clients-with-medical-equipment/View any photos, diagrams, or checklists mentioned in this episode on the blog.Related trainings and courses:Certified Home Accessibility Therapist (CHAT): https://www.thehomeaccessibilitytherapist.com/CHATDisaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery: A role for OT  https://www.thehomeaccessibilitytherapist.com/DisastercourseAll Courses: https://www.thehomeaccessibilitytherapist.com/coursesStay connected:Website: https://www.thehomeaccessibilitytherapist.com/Blog:...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/O7b2v0bIVVQSLB9XFpnyi7hQtbZrHAnizF-YFWT6G1o/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hZWYz/MTdlZjJjOTAxODEy/NTM1ZGZmYTg3NzNm/YTkwYy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}