Life Support Customers

Do you or someone residing or intending to reside at your premises require life support equipment? If so, you may like to register for the Life Support Program.

The Life Support Program provides eligible customers with information to help with preparing for power interruptions. Ensuring you have a plan of action in place will help you make timely decisions about your life support requirements when planned and unplanned power outages occur.

Electricity supply is not guaranteed

Being registered to our Life Support Program does not guarantee uninterrupted power supply or prioritised restoration. If you need the peace of mind of uninterrupted supply, please speak to a licensed electrical contractor about your back up supply options. It is also important to create a plan of action with your doctor or life support equipment supplier to ensure you are prepared in the event of a power interruption.

Sign up to receive notifications

While we are obligated to notify all customers about any distributor planned interruptions to their electricity supply, due to the unpredictable nature of weather, wildlife and vehicles contacting power poles, we are unable to notify customers about unplanned outages.

As a life support customer you can subscribe to receive SMS text notifications and/or email alerts for power outages in your area.

Make sure you have a plan of action

In case of a power interruption, you should have a plan to minimise the impact on your life support equipment and your health. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How does your life support equipment perform if the main supply fails?
• If you have a back-up battery, is it fully charged for use at all times and how long will this back up supply last?
• If you have reserve oxygen cylinders, are they filled and working?
• Have you made a note of the nearest hospital, its address and contact details?
• Do you know if your hospital can supply power via back-up generators during power interruptions?
• If your back-up battery is low and power has still not been reconnected to your home, do you have a transport plan in place to enable you to get to the hospital?
• Do you have important contact numbers on hand for:
  • Our Life Support emergency number?
  • Doctor?
  • Local hospital?
  • Ambulance?
  • Taxi?
  • Personal carer?
  • Health care professional?
• Is your supply of medications, prescription drugs and any special health needs fully stocked?
• Have you protected your electronic equipment by plugging computers and other sensitive equipment into surge suppressors or considered an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for temporary back-up power?
• Does your phone still work when electrical supply is disrupted? Cordless phones won't operate without electrical supply. Do you have an alternative phone service available?
• Have you put together a storm kit (PDF 497.4 kb)?

You won't be able to use your landline phone if it is plugged into an NBN modem and there's a power outage. Should this happen, you must enact your Life Support plan of action.

For more advice on what to do to prepare for loss of power, see Be prepared for power outages.

Eligibility

If you or a person residing or intending to reside at your premises requires any of the equipment below, you are eligible to apply for the Life Support Program:

• An oxygen concentrator
• An intermittent peritoneal dialysis machine
• A kidney dialysis machine
• A chronic positive airways pressure respirator
• Crigler najjar syndrome phototherapy equipment
• A ventilator for life support
• Any other equipment that a registered medical practitioner certifies as required for life support.

How to apply

We'll send you a letter and fact sheet outlining important information, including the Life Support Program phone number and the steps you need to take to complete your registration.

You'll also be provided with a medical confirmation form which you need to return to us after having your doctor complete and sign.

Keep your details up-to-date

If your premises are registered as having someone who requires life support equipment, it's essential that you keep us and your electricity retailer informed of any changes to your contact details, or if you no longer need or wish to be registered on the Life Support Program.

Your electricity retailer holds important information, and will keep us informed of any changes so it's important that you contact your electricity retailer for:

• Changes to your contact details, including telephone number and postal address
• Electricity rebates, and
• Matters involving your electricity account.

Government concession schemes

If your life support equipment requires electricity for cooling or heating purposes, you may be eligible for a concession under the Queensland Government's Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme.

If your life support equipment includes oxygen concentrators or kidney dialysis machines you may be eligible for the Electricity Life Support Concession Scheme.