When disaster strikes: the importance of both acute & long-term planning in emergency restoration

As society grows increasingly reliant on energy-intensive, always-on operations, the importance of uninterrupted power has never been greater. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate - and when she doesn’t, the fallout can be catastrophic.

Naturally, businesses want to do everything possible to minimize the effects of such disasters. But in reality, they're inevitable. The key is not to avoid them, but to have a plan in place for when they happen.

Our recommendation? Rethink restoration. Success is not about avoiding disaster - instead, it’s about planning for what to do after disaster strikes.

At Aggreko, we've been dealing with disasters for over fifty years. We’ve provided backup power and emergency mitigation services to companies and institutions around the world.

Below, you'll learn the strategies we’ve used to deal with dozens of floods, hurricanes, critical unplanned maintenance situations, and more. You'll get recommendations on what to do in similar situations, as well as a framework to apply the next time disaster strikes.

Let's get started.

Emergency flood restoration

Floods are one of the most devastating natural disasters. Tens of billions of dollars per year¹ are lost in the United States as a result of floods impacting critical systems and businesses that rely on uninterrupted service. Additionally, when floodwaters rise, panic often ensues - leading to poor decision making, unnecessary damage, and in some cases, physical danger.

In emergency restoration, energy should be our chief concern; water can short out equipment or cause a power outage, leading to catastrophic financial damage in both direct repair fees and opportunity cost for the client. But we also need to pay attention to flooring and carpets, which often get water-saturated and need to be dried quickly to prevent mold and ongoing damage to electrical modules. Additionally, all of these factors have to be balanced in accordance with safety & municipal power regulations.

So how do you do this in practice?

The first and most important determination to make is whether the distribution network itself is damaged. This will have a direct impact on whether you need to mobilize your own distribution equipment. If the answer is yes, then you should focus on quickly restoring power with fast-acting energy sources like LNG or diesel-powered generators.

In addition, you should take measures to minimize the long-term cost impact of water damage by removing moisture as soon as possible. Desiccant dehumidifiers work well in this regard and can help prevent mold and mildew growth, which both cause significant damage and can be expensive to remediate.

Unplanned maintenance of critical functions

In many cases, an emergency is precipitated not by disaster, but by the need to take a system offline for unplanned maintenance. This might include restarting a data center, repairing equipment, or fixing an elevator. Each of these situations requires different approaches and levels of planning in order to ensure that the system can be brought back online as quickly as possible with minimal disruption to business continuity.

That sounds great in theory. But what does this look like in practice?

First, determine the functional or energy requirements of the affected systems. For example, in a healthcare facility, life support systems have the highest priority, followed by lighting and communication systems.

Then, understand that recovery occurs in two phases: acute and long-term. The acute phase is characterized by fast recovery of the main service; this minimizes the acute costs of continued downtime for the client, which range from quality of life for the affected, safety, PR, direct financial losses, and more.

Your goal during the acute phase is the immediate restoration of function, to minimize the aforementioned costs. This could involve introducing portable generators and cabling as an alternative to the built-in power source.

The long-term phase, on the other hand, is focused on providing a sustainable solution that onramps back to normal service—whether this is a built-in temporary power system or something else. The ideal solutions are those that can support the energy requirements of the facility on an ongoing basis without putting undue strain on the staff or resources.

Hurricane response

Hurricane restoration, though similar in nature to flooding, requires a few additional considerations. The most important is the time scale over which you will be working.

For example, a client may come to you in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane with water damage to their business. You would work to assess and mitigate the acute phase of damage as soon as possible as we mentioned previously.

But what about the long-term effects of hurricanes?

While much attention is given to the physical destruction caused by high winds, rain, and flooding associated with these storms, little mention is made of how infrastructure is impacted. Hurricanes can have a devastating impact on power lines, communication towers, and water systems for months or years. All of these are critical for supporting restoration or recovery efforts - and disruptions to this infrastructure can make your life (as a restorer) miserable.

How do you practically plan for the restoration of these systems? First, lay out the costs: in hurricane-induced floods, the longer critical systems are submerged, the greater the damage and potential for irreversible corrosion.

As before, focus on relieving the acute phase of damage as soon as possible.

Longer-term, know that restoration after a hurricane is historically difficult to coordinate (especially given infrastructural and safety issues). Monitoring is crucial; ensure you establish a strict remote monitoring system to maximize safety and minimize the likelihood of a procedural violation.

Lastly, know that because of the breadth of damage, hurricane restoration can take a significant amount of time. In that vein, we recommend you think beyond the next few days, and instead plan for the long haul. This means prioritizing affordable, cost-effective energy solutions like LNG that can save your clients a significant amount of money over the weeks and months.

Final thoughts

In closing, remember that while disasters are unfortunately inevitable, being prepared for them doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Having a solid plan in place for both the acute and long-term restoration process is crucial to getting your business back up and running as quickly – and smoothly – as possible.

When it comes to emergency restoration, working with an experienced partner like Aggreko makes all the difference. Whatever your needs, our equipment will ensure your business is always on.

Interested in learning more? Discover our emergency response solutions.

References

¹“Facts + Statistics: Flood insurance | III.” n.d. Insurance Information Institute. Accessed March 31, 2022. https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-flood-insurance

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