IceStorm 98 Study

L. GENERATORS

1. There are many different types of generators that serve different purposes. Find a way to match needs with the generators available. The generator working group at EMO developed a series of questions to ask people who were offering generators to determine where the generators should go.
2. Small generators are not designed to be run continuously. Some need to be shut down periodically.
3. Generators require oil changes and maintenance on a regular basis, otherwise they will burn out. A back-up generator may be required while the main one is being serviced.
4. Generators need winter fuel to run in the winter; some generators arriving from the U.S. had summer fuel and would not work until it was replaced with winter fuel.
5. Electricians are generally needed to hook up generators; fire fighters could be trained to hook up generators.
6. Purchase generators that can be trailered and devise a trailering system. (Bell Canada is now carrying out field trials with trailers that can carry 6-8 generators.)
7. Take one wheel off each generator so they cannot be stolen.
8. Farmers need generators to milk, feed, and water animals. In Quebec about 80% of farmers have generators: in Ontario only about 20% have generators. (OMAFRA had guessed that about 50% have generators).
9. Generators from unlikely sources were pressed into service. At MTO:

   “the primary communication with patrols is a series of radio towers with battery back-up but when power is out for 8,10 or 12 hours at a time, the batteries run down. Backup electrical generators are needed. It took two days to contemplate what to do to replace the batteries. In the end, the company which maintains the radio towers suggested renting backhoes to haul the sign trailers (arrow boards) up the hills to the radio towers and use their generators to power the transmitters. They were the only generators available at the time and this was done.”

   Kathryn Moore, Ontario Ministry of Transportation