Lights Out - Not If You Have Emergency Power Restoration Plan
By Mark Decherd

With another major hurricane battering the Gulf and Atlantic coasts come questions about electric power and restoration, generators, portable power plants, and other means of getting by. Whether it's a hurricane, earthquake, heat wave, natural disaster, terrorism attack, or any other interruption to the electrical grid, it soon sinks in - "When will power be restored?"

While the initial days with no power may be inconvenient - or even feel a bit adventurous in a way - it doesn't take long before power restoration begins to become a major concern. We can all survive without television for a few days, weeks, or even months, but can we handle heat and humidity with no air conditioning? Can we deal with eating canned meat for days on end because refrigeration is not an option? What about all those e-mails waiting in your inbox with no way of logging on to retrieve them? How about work? Will your employer be open for business if the power is out? What about school? Will the kids be able to go to class or must you keep them home? And even if you could go to work or take the kids to school, what about the street lights?

Power outages affect you deeply. All of these questions are legitimate concerns. However, power outages have widespread implications. Not only are you personally inconvenienced, consider how hospitals, law enforcement agencies, wastewater treatment plants, water plants, power plants, and other vital infrastructures are affected.

Most communities and utilities have plans in place for restoring power in the wake of major outages with priorities given to vital services. While you're longing for a hot shower or lights on at night, efforts are first focused on restoring power according to pre-determined priorities. Soon enough, power will be restored.

This doesn't mean that you are powerless when it comes to power restoration. If you've ever spent any time at an RV resort, then you'll already be familiar with the convenience of generators. Gas powered generators hum away, powering the needs of families on the go. Microwave dinners, DVD movies, and air conditioning are facts of life for many campers. These comforts of home are readily available to homeowners dealing with emergency power outages.

Generators are also called "portable power plants." While your neighbors are waiting for days on end for the power company to come out and repair the lines, you can enjoy the basic necessities with your own portable power plant.

Large organizations with well-thought-out business continuity plans incorporate portable power plants into their plans. When the lights go out, the generators go on.

The city doesn't have to come to a complete standstill when the power goes off. In fact, when the lights go off, workers spring to action. Portable power plants and generators soon come to life and repair technicians are dispatched to repair the infrastructure. In the meantime, if you or a loved one relies on power for medical reasons, aren't you glad that this technology is available? Hurricanes and earthquakes can knock out the lights - but not for long when you have a good emergency power restoration plan in place.

Original at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Lights-Out---Not-If-You-Have-Emergency-Power-Restoration-Plan&id=1517133