IceStorm 98 Study

K. BACK-UP POWER

1. The 1998 Ice Storm showed there is a need for back-up power (or generator hook-ups) at shelters, seniors homes, police, fire and utilities facilities, emergency operations centers, hospitals, jails, radio stations, sewage pumping stations, water purification plants, and for fuel supplies (or have a manual pump available).
2. “In terms of the environment and his job, Bishop was very pleased that the back-up equipment worked as it should and that there was no permanent damage to the environment.
   Bishop said that for years MOE has been urging utilities to install stand-by generators in case of power failure. The ice storm is an event that proves their value. ‘It’s kind of like Hurricane Hazel. In terms of designing for things in the future, we will be able to point at Ice Storm ’98 and say, there is an example of the kind of thing that we are trying to guard against’.”

   John Bishop, Ontario Ministry of Environment

3. When installing back-up power put surge protectors on the main circuit and test to make sure the back-up power is hooked up to the right things.
4. Change from electric heat to another form of heating in emergency response buildings because electric heat requires too much generator power.
5. Have back-up power available for computers to access maps and critical information.
6. Electronic locks may fail without back-up power.