“Hospital Emergency Preparedness and Response During Superstorm Sandy” is a recent report published by the Department of Health and Human Services. The report looks at the experiences of 172 hospitals in the main areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. Pertaining to on-site power systems, this particular statement caught my attention:
Of 172 hospitals, “69 reported experiencing electrical utility outages, and for more than two-thirds of these hospitals (28 of 69), backup generators were not a reliable power source.”
Two-thirds of backup generators were not a reliable power source! Why? The report highlights the following reasons:
- lack of fuel.
- location of critical equipment (such as diesel fuel transfer pumps) in flooded areas.
- infrequent testing, or incorrect testing, of backup generators.
If you are a facility manager or design engineer for hospitals or any other type of critical infrastructure facility, I encourage you to take a moment to read the full report.
You can find the full report here, and I also recommend the following related articles:
Hurricane Season is Once Again Upon Us
Testing your generator: It may start, but will it carry the load?