There are more than 3,000 power outages in the US each year. On average, these last just under an hour each, according to a 2017 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers. These outages can cause significant disruptions to your operations. They are a significant safety hazard, and outages can cause millions of dollars in damage to temperature-sensitive inventory and equipment. It's not a question of if there will be power outages in the future; it's only a question of when and for how long. Thus, the best thing you can do to protect your business and your personnel is to make sure you have a plan in place the next time the lights go down.

Preparedness Starts With a Generator

Select a power generator that will produce sufficient voltage for your needs. You will need to calculate how much power your computers, refrigeration systems, lights, security systems, etc., will require. Working with a generator technician can help ensure your calculation is accurate and that you have sufficient power and fuel storage for the typical outage in your region.

Invest in Training and Technology

How many people do you have who know how to operate and monitor a standby generator system? Probably not many, and you should invest in training several individuals who can handle the task if the need arises. It's also advisable to invest in surge protection systems for your computers and other sensitive electronics. These can protect these expensive investments from a sudden change in voltage. Believe us when we say the cost of protecting these is far less than the cost of replacing them because the circuits are toasted.

Prepare To Downshift

Do you really need the printer, coffee machine, sound system, etc., in an emergency? Probably not, and you should designate staff responsible for shutting down non-essential systems and processes. If possible and necessary, develop plans to shift work to secondary locations and branches when a power outage occurs. Your plans should also include securing the facility and any temperature-sensitive inventory or machinery such as ice cream and dairy products, produce, computer server rooms, etc. Sealing these can help preserve the climate within freezers, coolers, etc., which can buy you a little extra time.

Secure the Building

Power outages can take security systems offline. Thus, you must check illuminated exit signs, fire sprinklers, fire alarms, cameras, intrusion alarms, etc. These systems should always have power to them, which is why they should have a battery-powered backup they can use in addition to a standby generator. This redundancy may seem unnecessary, but it's well worth the investment.

The team at Gen-Tech Power Generation Systems can help you prepare your small business for the next power outage. We'll help you identify the best standby generator or mobile power generator for your needs. We invite you to contact us at (800) 625-8324.