Virgin Islanders dependent on electrical medical devices could soon have free backup battery power to bridge electrical outages, officials said Monday.
The Virgin Islands Energy Office has identified qualified recipients and started distributing some of the 900 rechargeable batteries, Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach said at a Government House press briefing. The Virgin Islands Resiliency Gateway, or VIRG, program was launched in April as a way to help Medicaid recipients who may experience dangerous health issues during a prolonged blackout.
“The program will provide eligible residents with portable backup systems that can support certain essential medical devices, medical refrigeration, and basic communication needs when regular electrical service is unavailable,” Roach said. “We hope these devices will provide a measure of safety and peace of mind for those residents whose health and well-being depend on such equipment.”
The Human Services Department provided the Energy Office with a list of Medicaid participants who were prequalified, based on documented “serious medical needs,” said Mike Jeffers, the Energy Office’s deputy director.
The main eligibility factors include Virgin Islands residents dependent on oxygen therapy, bypass machines, CPAP machines with severe life-threatening apnea, home ventilation, tracheostomy support, feeding tubes, LVAD heart machines, refrigerated medication, as well as residents who are bed bound or wheelchair bound, Jeffers said.
“Since receiving that list from the Department of Human Services, the Virgin Islands Energy Office staff has been reaching out directly to residents to confirm their contact information, their medical device needs, and their physical address to facilitate delivery,” he said, asking Virgin Islanders to spread word of the program to people who may qualify and benefit. “I cannot state enough how impactful this is for recipients. We greatly look forward to continued distribution over coming weeks.”
Roach said the batteries were not meant to power an entire home, just the vital medical devices during times of no electrical current. They can recharge through a standard electrical outlet or through an attached solar panel.
“VIRG is designed for medically vulnerable residents whose health or safety could be placed seriously at risk during an electrical outage,” he said. “That can mean continued access to a medical device, properly refrigerated medication, or a working phone during an emergency.”
