Dubbo: A local power outage caused the death of a registered “life support” customer

A central west man is advocating for power companies to install safeguards to protect customers on life-support machines, following the death of his mother during a blackout.

Essential Energy claims three per cent of their customers are registered with life support. Photo: Tim Jarrett

Health Minister Ryan Park will work with NSW Health officials to develop safeguards in an effort to prevent people on life-support from dying during unplanned power outages.

The minister hit out at energy providers after the Daily Telegraph revealed a central west man has called for power companies to improve policies to protect customers on life-support machines – after he found his mother dead following a blackout this month.

Dubbo resident Brian Shae’s 80-year-old mother Gloria was a registered life support customer with Origin Energy and Essential Energy when there was a blackout on between 5.07am and 5.45am on May 8.

Mr Shae said the company did not contact him to let him know there was a power outage in the area.

“If they need to do maintenance, they’ll notify the next of kin – there is nothing in place when there is a blackout,” Mr Shae said.

Gloria Shea celebrating her 80th birthday in February.

“She was registered so we have more reassurance.

“If my grandson hadn’t woken me up in the morning letting me know that the TV was off – I wouldn’t have known there was a power outage and probably gone in at 10am and expecting to have a coffee with her.”

Mr Shae and his eldest son rushed to his mother’s residence to find her “on the floor, leaning against the bedside tables deceased”.

“She was probably gone a good 30 minutes before that,” he said.

“Mum had oxygen in bottles, so she probably tried to go get them and fell.

“She had emphysema, but she was relatively healthy.”

Emergency services arrived around 15 minutes later and revived her heart but Mr Shae said “her brain was already dead at that point”.

“Everyone assumes there is something in place to let the next of kin know if something like this happens but there isn’t,” he said.

The Dubbo News understands three per cent of Essential Energy customers are registered as “life support” customers.

Essential Energy claims three per cent of their customers are registered with life support. Photo: Tim Jarrett

An Essential Energy spokesman said they “encourage customers who rely on a continuous power supply to operate medical equipment to seek advice from their medical practitioner and have contingency plans in place”.

“The plans should consider the potential for both planned and unplanned power outages, particularly as unplanned outages occur without notice and are of an unknown duration,” the spokesman said.

“These plans should be based on the customer’s individual needs.

“We have extended our deepest condolences and offered our support to the family of the customer in Dubbo who passed away earlier this month.”

Energy retailer Origin Energy spokesman said they were the ones who “raised customer’s concerns” with Essential Energy and are “utterly devastated” that a death has happened.

Mr Park said energy companies should know what vulnerable customers they have using their service.

“I think these types of tragic events are an opportunity to learn about what we can do better to support vulnerable customers who are using these energy services,” he said.

Mr Park also intends to make contact with the family and get a better understanding of what happened to ensure New South Wales Health can alleviate the tragedy from happening again.

Additional reporting by Zara Powell