It has been roughly 3 weeks since a fire at a nearby substation left John Wayne Airport in the dark. On August 2, 2019, John Wayne Airport was in a full operational stop as all inbound flights were diverted and all outbound flights were cancelled. It took about 30 minutes until backup power kicked in. This post reflects on the blackout event and focuses on the takeaways that emerged.
1. Emergency events never give warning.
It is best to be prepared for when an emergency strikes. This includes (but is not limited to) performing annual maintenance and inspections of emergency lighting equipment. Which leads into the next takeaway.
2. Emergency lighting equipment must be tested on a monthly and annual basis.
It is easy to skip over this step especially when some emergency power equipment can be cumbersome to test. Not all emergency power equipment is built the same! It is important to note that Myers EPS inverters offer automatic monthly and annual self-testing and diagnostics.
3. The delayed start up of generators causes noticeable blackouts in emergency lighting.
Generators can take up to 8 seconds before providing power to emergency lighting. However, inverters transfer in milliseconds for no interruption in emergency lighting. When deciding upon emergency backup power solutions, consider the impact of the space and the gravity of the situation if power were to be disrupted.
While blackout events serve as reminders about the importance of emergency lighting, a proactive approach is best.
For more information about the advantages of inverters for emergency lighting, please contact us at info@myerseps.com or call 610-868-3500.
