Liberty offers program for critical care customers

The City of Liberty has launched its Residential Critical Care and Chronic Condition Program for residents that rely on life-sustaining equipment operating on electrical power. While everyone in the city expects reliable electrical service, these individuals are at high risk, and often their lives depend upon it.

The program is designed to allow the city to have the ability to contact those that rely on this equipment and provide reasonable advanced notice.

This communication would be made before planned outages, and service interruptions for non-payment are made.

To qualify, the participant must reside at the residence permanently and be diagnosed with the following medical conditions by a physician:

• Chronic Condition: Having been diagnosed by a physician as requiring an electric-powered device (or heating or cooling of the home) to prevent the impairment of major life function. To maintain chronic designation, customers must reapply once a year.

• Chronic Condition, lifelong: Same as chronic Condition, but does not require annual re-certification or application.

• Critical Care: Having been diagnosed by a physician as requiring an electric-powered device to sustain life. To maintain critical care designation, customers must reapply once every two years.

• Critical Care, lifelong: Same as critical Care, but does not require biennial re-certification or application.

Participation in the program does not guarantee priority service or restoration, nor are there any exemptions during planned outages. Financial liability must be maintained, and policies still apply for non-payment.

To apply, either download the application at http://www.cityofliberty.org/finance-department/pages/utility-payments, pick one up at Liberty City Hall or request one by phone at 936-336-3684.