In the event of a power failure, is your business prepared to handle an emergency? Even those facilities that do have generators in place may still be ill-prepared, due to insufficient generators or fuel, neglected maintenance, or a lack of operational knowledge.
New Legislation in Florida
Massive power outages are more than an inconvenience; they can be life threatening. In the aftermath of 2017’s disastrous hurricane season, Florida legislators passed a new law requiring nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have generators.
These facilities will need to have a backup power source that could maintain cooling systems in the event of an outage as well as portable power sources capable of providing 30 sq. ft. of cool space for every resident and minimum on-hand fuel supplies. The power source must ensure that the temperature in a portion of the facility large enough to accommodate all of the facility’s residents is maintained at 81 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler. The law was spurred by the events following prolonged post-Irma outages, which included the deaths of several residents as a result of heat exposure, at a Hollywood, FL, nursing home.
What You Can Do to Prepare
- Create a backup plan for power outages, long and short term.
- Assess your backup power generator to ensure that it is large enough. An electrician can test the load and make recommendations.
- Ask your electrician about an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS), which monitors power usage and then transfers power to a generator, in the event of a blackout.
- Evaluate how much fuel you have stored and how much you will require, in case of storm, flood, or power outage.
- Schedule regular maintenance and system testing to ensure that your systems will be reliable when you need them most. An untested and/or neglected system could pose an even greater threat by giving you a false sense of security.
Take Action Now to Ensure Safe Conditions Later
Are you concerned about emergency/backup power? Now is the time to assess whether your facility is prepared in the event of a large scale black out. A licensed electrician can evaluate the equipment you need, perform the installation, and assist you with maintenance.
Take Measures to Comply with Changes in Florida
If you are in Florida and are concerned about compliance with the new laws, contact your local ConServ branch. ConServ locations in the Tampa Bay Area operate an electrical division, with licensed, professional electricians. We would be pleased to help you prepare your backup power system for your commercial facility.
ConServ Building Services provides excellent commercial HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, and general construction services to businesses across the Southeastern United States. To learn more about ConServ Building Services, LLC, visit www.conservonline.com.