In Louisiana, we all know that power outages are very likely because of the frequent hurricanes that take place along our coasts and shorelines. According to Agility Recovery, 70 percent of businesses or organizations will face a power outage within the next 12 months.
In today’s world, (almost) everything is reliant on electricity and many small businesses are unable to continue operating without power. If you own a business in Louisiana, you should be aware of the certain challenges your business is likely to face. Although small businesses should have a power-outage preparedness strategy in case of a power outage, we’ve put together a few tips to consider if a power outage threatens the continuity of your business.
Call Utility & Report The Power Outage
Immediately after you notice there is an outage, your utility needs to know when and where it occurred. Since the utility company owns and operates the wires that bring electricity into your business, this means they are the first people you should contact to report a power outage in your area. While a severe storm or event with widespread power interruption should be recognized on the utility provider’s monitoring system, we still advise you to report outages.
If you think you or your employees are in danger, call 911.
Use Backup Power
If your business loses power, make sure you use a standby or backup power sources for emergency power. Always read and follow all manufacturer operating instructions. Also note that you should only use these generators in well-ventilated areas. That’s because generators can be a major cause of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning, which can cause loss of consciousness and even death.
If your business is interested in getting a generator professionally installed, learn more about our generators and power solutions.
Equipment Safety 101
In the event of a power outage, it is important to unplug or turn off all electrical equipment, such as computers and televisions to prevent damage from electrical surges or spikes when power is eventually restored. Your circuits could overload when power returns if all your electrical items are on. We recommend that you leave one light on to indicate that power is back on.
GAGE provides standby power solutions for your home or business. For more information on our generators and general power services, visit here today or give us a call at 225.753.4243.