As the owner or manager of a commercial property, it is essential to develop a cohesive plan for handling a power outage at your building. After all, you do not want your employees or tenants to be left in the dark (literally and figuratively) when the power goes out. Any time your power out leads to a drop in productivity, you want to ensure your building bounces back as quickly as possible. Here are some of the best ways to prepare for a power outage and the necessary communication to deal with it.
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  1. Prevention is crucial. What’s better than having a plan to deal with a power outage? Not having an outage in the first place! While you cannot deter lightning storms or power grid failures, you can ensure that your power lines are protected against other damage. Keep an eye out for any tree limbs that are encroaching on the wires, and have pest deterrents installed to keep squirrels and other rodents from gnawing on them. Lightning arrestors help direct the energy from lightning strikes away from your building’s electrical system so that they don’t cause a surge.
  2. Backup generators are a lifesaver. Generators are another vital facet of power outage prevention. You never need to worry about your building losing power with a powerful backup generator. This peace of mind is especially important for buildings containing items that do best in a temperature-controlled setting or for residential buildings where tenants’ comfort is at risk should there be a long-term outage. A generator that automatically turns on makes the process even easier.
  3. Install a battery backup for your computers. With a battery backup, your employees will have time to save their files before shutting their computers down. The battery won’t give much time, but it is enough to ensure no information gets lost.
  4. Connect your devices to surge protectors. When power gets restored, the sudden influx of electricity can create a surge before it evens out. Any device connected to an outlet can be affected by an electricity surge–from computers to lamps to charging phones. A surge protector will stop the energy flow before it enters the devices and causes irreparable damage.
  5. Establish a well-known emergency plan. (and post it throughout your building.) The plan should include who the tenants or employees should alert when the power goes out (you or the power company). List a few different contacts in case they cannot immediately get in touch with the primary contact. If it is safest to meet together in a central place, provide safe routes that show the quickest route to get there from each part of the building. Sheltering-in-place is also an option, and in that case, just be sure your tenants are aware of that expectation.
  6. Have necessities ready to go. Employees and tenants should be advised to keep useful items like charged batteries, flashlights, portable chargers, etc., on hand in a place that is easy to access in the dark.

As a commercial property manager, your tenants’ and employees’ safety is a top priority. Having protections and a plan in place to deal with a power outage will be extremely helpful in an emergency situation.

Promise Electric provides expert commercial and residential electrical services in the Sarasota area. no matter the size or scope of the project, we have hundreds of clients who trust us with their electrical needs.