Hurricane season began on June 1st, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) predicts above-average activity with estimated named storms between 14 and 21. Many conditions contribute to this outlook, including warmer than usual Atlantic and Caribbean water surface temperatures, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds, a strong west African monsoon, and the ongoing La Nina. La Nina conditions increase the probability of hurricanes forming and strengthening in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Learning from Past Hurricane Destruction
As communities and businesses in hurricane-prone areas prepare for this season, consider the scope and severity of seasons past. Hurricane Ida spanned nine states with damaging winds and massive rainfall affecting more than just coastal regions. Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc leaving 8.5 million people without power across 21 states. The widespread power outages of Sandy, Ida, Katrina, Harvey, and other storms highlight the need for a comprehensive backup power plan, especially amid the aging grid infrastructure.
New Technology to Predict Hurricane Impact
Since Hurricane Sandy 10 years ago, the NOAA has developed many new technologies, tools, and surveillance methods to accurately predict a storm’s track and intensity. While it won’t stop an impending storm, the latest technologies can help those most affected prepare. Knowing a storm is coming and having time to prepare for a hurricane reduces the loss of life and property in the aftermath of a significant storm. In addition to NOAA’s more precise forecasting, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) has an app for disseminating emergency alerts in real-time and further aiding the public to prepare.
How Businesses Prepare for Major Storms
Prepare for a power outage with a comprehensive backup power plan, including standby generators ready to power your business operations immediately in the event of a power loss. When a hurricane hits and power goes out, the backup plan goes into action immediately. Generators power up and keep the lights on, computer systems running, and critical equipment operating.
A backup generator protects your business from:
- Product loss
- Data breach
- Downtime
- Security failures
- Medical emergency
- Loss of revenue
Creating your backup power plan:
- Assess your risk and power needs: create a reliable backup power plan that fits your needs by first assessing your risk and energy needs during a power outage. Each business is unique and has different power requirements to continue operations. Some need to power an entire operation, while others only need to keep critical operations running. Knowing what you will need during a power outage is the first step.
- Diesel or natural gas: learn what type of generator fits your needs, diesel or natural gas. Both are reliable sources of power, but each has requirements to run at its peak. Natural gas generators require access and connection to gas utility lines and run quieter and cleaner than their diesel counterparts. Diesel generators are more reliable because they do not rely on utility lines to operate. However, they are limited by the amount of diesel fuel available.
- Budget: know what fits into your operating budget. Also, consider the financial benefits of having a generator. A generator will pay for itself during a power outage because your business will continue to operate and avoid losing revenue. A generator is another form of insurance for your business, protecting you from loss of power, security, production, and revenue.
Depco can help
Rely on Depco to create your backup power plan today. Our sales team will create a plan tailor-made for your business. Depco has commercial and industrial generators in stock for emergency and backup power. Once a hurricane strikes, it is too late to take action. Make sure you have a reliable backup power source ready to go.