The short version: A generator keeps the lights on, but the exhaust can kill. The one rule that saves lives: run it outside only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust pointed away from windows and vents, never in a garage. Put carbon monoxide alarms on every level. Plan power for medical devices first, register as a medical-priority customer with your utility, and keep insulin cold in a cooler at 36 to 46 degrees.
The danger no one expects: the generator itself
A power outage feels like the emergency. But the generator bought to solve it kills about 100 people in the United States every year through carbon monoxide poisoning.1 Since 2008, portable generators have been linked to roughly 790 of these deaths.1
Here is why. A portable generator’s engine gives off carbon monoxide at a very high rate, as much as hundreds of cars running at once.1 The gas is colorless and odorless, so there is no warning. Run indoors or too close to the house, it can kill in minutes.2
Older adults are among those most at risk. The poisoning often happens right after a storm, when the power is out and someone runs a generator in the garage or by a window to stay warm. That single choice is the difference between a safe outage and a fatal one.
The one rule that saves lives
If you remember nothing else, remember this: a portable generator runs outside only, at least 20 feet from the home, with the exhaust pointed away from every window, door, and vent.1
Never run it inside a house, basement, garage, shed, or crawlspace, and not on a porch either. Opening the garage door or a window does not make it safe. The carbon monoxide builds up faster than it can clear.3
The three parts of the rule: outside, 20 feet away, and exhaust pointed away from the house. Miss any one and the danger returns. Then add carbon monoxide alarms on every level and near the bedrooms, because the gas gives no warning on its own. If an alarm sounds, get everyone to fresh air outside and call 911. Do not go back in.
The CDC gives the same guidance: keep the generator at least 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.3 This is the rule that lets a generator do its job without becoming the emergency.
Which backup power fits your needs
Not everyone needs a roaring gas generator. The right choice depends on what you must keep running and how long outages tend to last where you live.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Battery power station | A CPAP, phone, lights; anyone who cannot store fuel | Limited capacity; recharge between outages |
| Portable gas generator | A refrigerator and medical equipment in longer outages | Must run outside, 20 feet away; needs stored fuel |
| Standby (permanent) generator | Whole-house power, hands-off, long outages | Highest cost; needs professional installation |
A battery power station is the quiet, fume-free choice, and it is safe to use indoors. It can run a CPAP overnight or keep a phone and a lamp going, though it holds a limited charge. For many seniors this alone covers the essentials.
A portable gas generator gives more power for a refrigerator or oxygen equipment, but it carries the carbon monoxide risk above and needs fuel stored safely. A standby generator starts on its own and powers the whole house, at the highest cost and with professional installation. Many families pair a battery station for the must-haves with a larger option for long outages.
Plan power for medical devices first
If anyone in the home depends on powered medical equipment, that plan comes before everything else. Oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines, ventilators, and powered wheelchairs all stop when the grid fails, unless you have arranged a backup.5
Do these three things in advance:
- Talk to your equipment supplier. Ask for standalone oxygen tanks that need no electricity, and for a portable oxygen concentrator with extra batteries and a car charger.5
- Buy a battery power station sized to run the most critical device overnight. For a CPAP or a small concentrator, this is often enough.
- Register with your electric utility as a medical-priority or life-support customer. It can bring advance notice of planned outages and priority for restoration.4
Registration helps, but it is not a guarantee. Being on the medical-priority list does not promise the power stays on. It adds a layer of protection, so you still need your own backup ready. A worn medical alert system is also worth having, so a call for help does not depend on the phone or the grid.
Keep refrigerated medicine cold
Insulin and some other medicines must stay cold, and a long outage puts them at risk. The goal is to hold them between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit.5
Keep the medicine in a cooler with ice packs, and put a thermometer inside so you can see the temperature at a glance. Do not let insulin freeze, which ruins it, so keep it near the ice packs but not touching them. Open the cooler as little as possible.
Most insulin tolerates room temperature for a limited window, but that window varies by product. Call your pharmacist for guidance on your specific insulin, and fold this into the wider medication management plan every senior home should have.
A simple outage plan
The last piece is a plan you can follow in the dark. Keep a small kit by the door: flashlights, a battery or hand-crank radio, charged phone power banks, bottled water, and a written copy of this plan.
Think through the two comfort risks. In winter, know how you will stay warm without running an unsafe heater indoors; our winterizing guide covers safe heating. In summer, a long outage in a heat wave is dangerous on its own, covered in our extreme heat safety guide.
Finally, arrange a check-in. Ask a neighbor or family member to look in during a long outage, and keep their number where you can reach it. For storm-season planning, our hurricane prep guide puts these steps on a timeline.
Key takeaways
- The generator is the hidden danger. Portable generators kill about 100 people a year through carbon monoxide.
- One rule saves lives. Outside only, 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from windows, never in a garage. Add CO alarms.
- Medical devices come first. Standalone oxygen tanks, extra batteries, a battery power station, and medical-priority registration with your utility.
- Protect cold medicine. Keep insulin at 36 to 46 degrees in a cooler with ice packs, and ask your pharmacist about your product.
What’s next
- Cover safe heating and carbon monoxide in the winterizing guide.
- Put storm steps on a timeline with hurricane prep for aging in place.
- Plan for a heat-wave outage with extreme heat safety for seniors.
- Set up the pill routine with medication management for seniors.
Reviewed by John Smith, CAPS, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. This guide is general safety information, not medical advice. Follow your equipment supplier and pharmacist for device- and medicine-specific instructions.
- Portable Generator-Related Carbon Monoxide Deaths. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, retrieved August 31, 2026. cpsc.gov portable generator CO deaths.
- Carbon Monoxide Information Center. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, retrieved August 31, 2026. cpsc.gov carbon monoxide center.
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, retrieved August 31, 2026. cdc.gov carbon monoxide prevention.
- Power Outages. Ready.gov, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, retrieved August 31, 2026. ready.gov power outages.
- Preparing for a Power Outage as a Medical Device User. American Lung Association, retrieved August 31, 2026. lung.org power outage medical devices.