Author: Erika Thorson

Florida Legislation Ensures Preparations for Hurricane Season

Erika Thorson

2018 Hurricane Predictions

On March 26, 2018, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed Legislation SB 7028 and HB 7099 requiring Florida state nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have an emergency backup generator capable of keeping facilities at 81 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for at least four days.

According to the new legislation, all Florida state facilities have until July 1, 2018 to comply with the new rule. As the 2018 hurricane season nears, Florida families can be reassured facilities responsible for caring for their loved ones will now be fully prepared ahead of any potential major storms.

 Emergency preparedness is a critical component to safeguarding our communities.

According to www.flgov.com’s news release announcement of the legislation, the goal is to “ensure that nursing homes and assisted living facilities are prepared for the start of the upcoming hurricane season. Florida faces an annual risk from Mother Nature, and these rules will help keep seniors safe during a possible devastating weather event or periods with prolonged power outage.”

The 2018 hurricane season is predicted to have 12 to 15 tropical storms. Of those storms, 6 to 8 are forecasted to become hurricanes and 3 to 5 forecasted to become major hurricanes (accuweather.com).

Emergency preparedness is a critical component to safeguarding our communities. ESL Power Systems can help with emergency readiness and recovery plans by providing the ability to connect or load test your backup power safely and quickly.

We would love to hear from you. If you have any questions or when you’re ready for a project quote, ESL is here to help. Just click the button below to contact us.

We Powered Up Our YouTube Page

Erika Thorson

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ESL Power Systems, Inc. has been manufacturing electrical equipment for over 25 years and we’ve been making company videos for just about as long. Over the years we have produced virtual tours, demos, crazy holiday videos and even trade show recaps; for those of you who couldn’t make the show!

We invite you to visit our revamped YouTube page to check out all the resources available and Subscribe. Let’s stay connected! 

 

 

ESL Provides New Resources

Erika Thorson

ESL Resources

 

ESL’s mission is to, “continuously provide our customers with innovative solutions.”  As we strive to provide better solutions we also aim to provide better resources.  ESL recently updated our technological resources to help serve our customers. The hope is it will not only educate, but also make finding the right “innovative” solution easier.

We built an App for that!

On the path to providing better tools, we created a new and improved online Catalog Manager. You know how catalogs can read like lengthy instruction manuals? Well, we decided to simplify the information and look to make finding what you need easier. ESL’s product offerings are now presented in an easy to locate format. Not only is the new catalog much more legible and direct on your desktop, but also more conducive to smartphones and tablets for customers on the go.

And speaking of smartphones and tablets…. We built an App for that!

We are pleased to introduce the new “ESL Power APP,” available for both IOS and Android devices. You can quickly and easily measure both kW output needed and Wire Size Bend Radius in either one swipe of the slider or a press of the button. The equations are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC) and the Insulated Cable Engineers Association (ICEA) minimum bend radius requirements. The “ESL Power APP” is the easier equation. You can download our app from Google Play or the iTunes App store.

These are just a couple of things ESL has done to make your experience with us a positive one. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our own avenues of information and resources to help simplify your day-to-day tasks.

Still need more help on finding the right solution? Our Customer Service Reps are here to assist.  Click here to request more info.

Do You Have A Contingency Plan? The Cost of NOT Being Prepared

Erika Thorson

Contingency Plan

Planning ahead for an emergency can be challenging but ESL is here to help make things easier with our line of UL 1008 Listed Emergency Power Products. Our manual transfer switches and tap boxes ensure a quick, safe generator hook-up and operation for any building and ensure time without power is minimal. There are countless things to consider when planning for the worst case scenario however; the potential for loss of power should be a top priority when trying to keep business continuity intact.

Contingency Planning

A contingency plan is a course of action designed to help an organization respond effectively to a significantly disruptive event or situation.

As businesses have become more reliant on immediate availability, the tolerance for downtime has decreased. A disaster can have devastating effects on a business because of this mind set. Having a contingency plan is a key component of business continuity, disaster recovery, and risk management.

Common Steps for a Contingency Plan Include:

  1. Perform a risk analysis. Determine what risks are most likely to occur for your business. Is your organization likely to experience natural disasters such as hurricanes or floods?
  2. Identify possible scenarios. Detail what could happen if major risks were to occur.
  3. Conduct a business impact analysis. Determine which of an organization’s functions are essential.
  4. Find ways to reduce the risk. It’s not enough to develop the plan; you need to take steps to improve preventative strategies. For example, you may realize you need special insurance, need a data back-up system or an emergency generator for power. Devise a plan for each scenario.
  5. Develop a contingency plan policy statement. This will include overview and main goals of the plan. Communicate the plan to all employees and provide personnel the proper training to improve plan effectiveness and overall organization preparedness.
  6. Test the plan. The testing should include short-term shutdowns in critical areas done in real time to ensure the plan goes as expected.
  7. Ensure plan maintenance. The plan should be a living document that is updated regularly to remain current with system improvements and organizational changes.

Preparing for a disaster requires an all-inclusive approach that covers facility equipment, power, connectivity, and testing.  This will ensure recovery is achieved within a targeted time frame. The goal is always to re-establish full function to the organization as quickly and smoothly as possible.

The Cost:

There are a wide range of disasters, natural and otherwise, that lead to recovery situations. Certain types of disaster may seem unlikely, but it is important to recognize probabilities and plan ahead.

Reduce the risk of power outages and ensure you have back up power when you need it. Installing a manual transfer switch in conjunction with a portable power generator is an economic solution to help minimize downtime during emergency power loss.

While implementing a thorough plan is no small task, the potential benefits of being proactive are significant.

To learn more about ESL and our emergency power product line, visit www.eslpwr.com/emergency-power where you can download specifications, read recently published case studies and articles, and watch our short demo videos.