Tag: hurricane season

Businesses and organizations can hedge against disasters (hello, U.S. hurricane season) by using a comprehensive disaster recovery plan template.

Most disaster recovery plans focus on IT processes, but businesses can recover as quicky and efficiently as possible when their disaster recovery plan steps are clear and detailed across all processes and departments.

For example, businesses in hurricane regions that store bulk fuel on-site or would require fuel for backup power solutions during a hurricane can protect themselves better if they include a specific fueling section in their disaster recovery plans.

What is a Disaster Recovery Plan?

A disaster recovery plan is an emergency response document and includes the most important steps business owners and employees must take immediately after a hurricane, storm or other disaster. It gets into the fine detail of how to respond to aspects of the business that may be damaged.

Disaster Recovery Plan Steps

1. The first step to disaster recovery planning, according to the University of Texas at Austin Information Security Office, is to identify your organization’s critical processes and systems. This can be done by performing a business impact analysis (BIA), which also shows how an organization would be affected if its processes were disrupted. In addition, a BIA creates workarounds while the disrupted processes are being restored. The areas you identify in your BIA are those for which you will focus your disaster recovery and backup planning.
   • Ready.gov, an official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, provides a BIA questionnaire that helps predict business costs of hurricane-related business disruptions and recovery efforts.
   • The University of Texas also provides instructions with its BIA template.
2. The next step is to create a disaster preparedness plan. Here’s a disaster preparedness plan template from the University of Texas.
3. The final step is to create a backup and recovery plan. Again, the University of Texas provides instructions with a backup and recovery plan template.

Disaster Recovery Plan Example for Fuel

You can adapt either of the disaster recovery plan examples mentioned in this article to include fuel processes. Yours might look something like this:

• Primary crisis manager (fuel)
  • Primary emergency contact
  • Phone number
  • Alternative number
  • Email
• If primary crisis manager (fuel) is unavailable, secondary crisis manager
  • Secondary emergency contact
  • Phone number
  • Alternative number
  • Email
• Participants in emergency planning and crisis management (fuel)
• Primary processing site for information resources
  • Building
  • Street address
  • City, state, ZIP code
  • Phone number
• If primary site (fuel) becomes unavailable, alternate site
  • Building
  • Street address
  • City, state, ZIP code
  • Phone number
• Location where primary copy of this plan will be stored
• Off-site location where an up-to-date copy of this plan will be stored
• Critical services (there will be several)
  • Service
  • Administrator
  • Location of Business Impact Analysis
  • Location of Backup and Recovery Policy
• Notification
  • In case of a disaster, we will communicate with staff in these ways.
  • In case of a disaster, we will notify users in these ways.
  • In case of a disaster, these external people or groups will be notified.
• Vendor contacts (there will be several)
  • Company
  • Street address
  • City, state, ZIP code
  • Account number
  • Account manager
  • Phone, fax, email, social media
  • Technical support contact
  • Phone, fax, email
• Employee contacts (there will be several)
  • Employee
  • Home phone, cell phone
  • Email
  • Social media
• Annual review
  • We will review and update this disaster plan (insert date).
• Approval
  • Department head or chair
    • Signature
    • Printed name
    • Date
  • Technical manager or lead
    • Signature
    • Printed name
    • Date

You’re Ready to Use a Disaster Recovery Plan Template

You have the tools, templates and knowledge to build a detailed disaster recovery plan that addresses the most important processes across departments. Every day you wait to build your disaster recovery plan increases your business risk. What are you waiting for?

Helpful Resources – Disaster Recovery Plan Templates

• BIA Questionnaire: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Disaster Recovery Planning Instructions and Templates: University of Texas
• Disaster Recovery Planning: U.S. Small Business Administration

Need Help? Ask the Experts

For help in choosing the right fuel storage tank for your disaster recovery plan or everyday operations, it makes sense to ask the experts.

Unity Fuel Solutions is North America’s leader in double walled storage tanks. For advice on the tank and system that’s right for you, call the Unity team at 800-234-1689.

Business Continuity Plan; It’s the No. 1 Way to Survive Hurricane Season

Simply having a business continuity plan (based on your hurricane preparedness plan) can keep your small business open during hurricane season … or when another disaster strikes.

If you dread even thinking about creating a business continuity plan, you’re not alone. It can feel overwhelming. But business owners already have most of this information, and their teams can drop it into a business continuity plan template.

Need motivation? Change your thinking: You’re not starting from scratch. Instead, you’re:

• Compiling existing information.
• Organizing it logically in one document for quick accessibility; and
• Filling in the holes.

All organizations need a business continuity plan: the government, nonprofits, multinational corporations, universities, the ice cream shop on the corner, and your small business.

The reason? Organizations without disaster preparedness plans (which include business continuity plans) seldom survive disasters, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Three years after a natural disaster such as a hurricane, 75% of affected businesses without business continuity plans fail, FEMA data shows.

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

A business continuity plan is an evolving road map that explains clearly how employees, teams and departments will prevent and limit business disruptions during extreme natural events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, snow storms, floods, heat waves or firestorms to hostile man-made events such as terrorism or cyberattacks.

Start With This Business Continuity Checklist

Your “if this, then that” plan needs to be comprehensive, but its development doesn’t have to be difficult. That’s according to the Yale University Office of Emergency Management. Its Guide to Business Continuity and Recovery Planning recommends business leaders do four things to simplify business continuity planning:

1. Build your business continuity plan with your team. Business continuity planning is everyone’s responsibility. Involve your director, manager, lead administrator, IT specialist and other essential staff.
2. Schedule regular meetings with your continuity team. Start building your business continuity plan by holding an hourlong, weekly meeting for four weeks. Then, add meetings as you need them.
3. Follow this guide. Yes, complete the worksheets.
4. Review your existing plans, such as those for emergencies. Incorporate what you’ve already established and what works for your company and employees.

A Business Continuity Plan Example

A business continuity plan, also called a continuity of operations plan, includes several sections. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests including these sections:

• Essential functions. What does each department need to do? (Remember to include fuel supply for backup power solutions.)
• Orders of succession. Who will do it?
• Delegations of authority. Who’s authorized to make decisions? What are the limits to that decision-making authority?
• Continuity facilities. If your building or space is damaged or inaccessible, then where can employees perform their duties? Where are suitable backup locations?
• Communications. If electricity or phone lines are down, then how will you communicate, and with whom? What are your backup communication options?
• Essential records management. How do you store critical files and information? What technologies? If computer systems are down, then who needs access to paper copies? Are they protected from water? What are your backup options?
• Human capital. Who’s on call for emergencies? Does it make sense? What are their roles and responsibilities?
• Tests, training and exercises: Do you stress and test essential functions to identify preparedness gaps? Is there a routine exercise plan to test processes and prepare staff for potential disasters?
• Devolution of control and direction. If leadership is affected or unavailable, then who will step in to ensure the continued performance of essential functions? Is there a process to transfer official authority and responsibility for essential functions from primary operating staff and facilities to other employees and facilities?
• Reconstitution. When will things go back to normal? How?

Specific Questions About Fuel Storage and Backup Power Solutions

The following questions, adapted from the San Bernadino County (Calif.) Business Continuity Plan Test Situation Manual, may be incorporated into a business continuity plan that addresses fuel storage and backup power solutions. These questions also work as discussion points when you’re starting your plan. (Note: Not all questions may be relevant to your business.)

Hurricane Pre-Landfall Questions

1. In the case of an approaching hurricane, what would your business do first to prepare for possible landfall?
2. What would you do to prepare for a possible long-term power outage?
   • Does your facility have a backup generator and fuel? If yes, then how long is emergency power available?
   • What is your fuel supplier arrangement?
   • If you lose power, then how would your business maintain communications?
3. What data is most important to business operations?
   • Do you store backup data offsite? If yes, then where?
4. How much downtime is acceptable without significantly affecting operations? Can anything be done to extend this time?

Hurricane Post-Landfall Questions

1. At landfall, what would your business do first?
2. What initial damage assessments, if any, could be conducted now?
   • Who will perform these assessments? What roles, responsibilities and qualifications do they have in these assessments?
   • Does your facilities management/security team have rules on facility re-entry?
3. When would the business declare a disaster?
   • How? Who decides?
   • How would employees be notified of a disaster declaration? By whom? What if power is out?
   • What criteria determine your business can’t operate?
   • Who decides operations must slow or stop?
   • What notifications must be made if business operations slow or stop? How will this be communicated to customers?
   • If operations slow or stop, will employees get paid, or do they need to take leave?
4. If your organization operates an emergency operations center (EOC), would it be stood up?
   • How? Who makes that decision?
   • Where is it? Do the appropriate people know its location?
   • How would your business deal with travel restrictions or impassibility? What if employees can’t get there? Are there alternatives?
5. Would you relocate to your alternative site?
   • How would your alternative site be activated? By whom?
   • Where is your alternative site? How would employees get there?
   • What functionality is available at the alternative site? Does it have full telecommunication capabilities?
   • What logistics might be needed if staff need to stay at the site for an extended time?
6. Does your business have business interruption insurance? Flood insurance?
7. How long might it take to repair structural and physical damage?
   • How could this affect business operations?
8. Does HR have strategies to help employees and their families?
9. Do policies provide flexibility to displaced employees (alternate schedules, remote work, etc.)?
10. How will you restore disrupted services?
11. How will you clean the facility and remove health and safety hazards?
12. How will your business do long term after this kind of disaster? What strategies might improve its resilience?

You’re Ready to Build Your Business Continuity Plan

You have a business continuity checklist. You have a business continuity template. And you know the difference between a business continuity plan vs disaster recovery plan. Get your team to those initial four meetings, and start planning how your business can be among the 25% that remain in business three years after a natural disaster like a hurricane.

Helpful Resources – Business Continuity Plan Templates

• FEMA continuity plan template
• NOAA continuity plan template
• San Bernadino County Business Continuity Plan Test Situation Manual

Need Help? Ask the Experts.

For help in choosing the right fuel storage tank to ensure business continuity, emergency supplies or everyday operations, it makes sense to ask the experts.

Unity Fuel Solutions is North America’s leader in fuel storage tanks. For advice on the tank and system that’s right for you, call the Unity team at 800-234-1689.

A business that invests in backup power solutions can protect against lost revenue, reduced productivity and dissatisfied customers. That’s not coming from a backup power generator manufacturer, either. That’s according to the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, the largest municipal water and electric power utility in the U.S.

While hurricane season in California is mild compared with states on the East Coast and along the Gulf of Mexico, California ranks third among states with the most power outages, behind Texas and Michigan. Data from Climate Central, a nonprofit group of scientists and journalists who study climate, shows 80% of major U.S. power outages from 2000 to 2023 were related to weather. The causes of those outages include severe weather (58%), winter storms (23%) and tropical cyclones, including hurricanes (14%).

(If you really love data, you can download Department of Energy summaries of U.S. power outages by year.)

No matter a power outage’s cause, the effects on businesses are the same: The longer businesses go without power, the less money they have. Power outages from hurricane-force winds, like those that knocked out power to 1 million Houston homes and businesses in May, can last weeks.

“The best way to ensure consistent electrical access is with on-site backup generation or with renewables and battery storage,” NRG Energy Inc. states on its website. The Houston-based energy company serves 7.5 million customers in 24 states, many of which are in hurricane zones. “Whether you’re in a residential home or running a business with refrigeration or other critical energy needs, backup energy can be comforting, property protecting and lifesaving.”

Investing in a backup power solution for your business is just one step toward hurricane preparedness.

Backup Power Solutions for Business. Consider This.

What kind? To select the best backup power solution for any business, you need to know whether the business can tolerate a power interruption … and for how long. Your answers will determine your need for emergency power or standby power.

If your business can’t tolerate even a single second without power, it needs critical power: an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). Businesses and organizations that require a UPS typically are involved in health care, IT, banking, emergency response or government. Without power for even one second, lives or national security would be at risk.

For most businesses, and especially small businesses, noncritical backup power is a better choice.

Emergency power systems turn on automatically within 10 seconds when the flow of power is interrupted. They must connect to a power source separate from the main power supply, which requires emergency power generation.

Standby power, on the other hand, requires manual activation and takes a while to kick in.

UPS and emergency power require a backup power source separate from the main power supply; standby power can have a separate power supply, although it’s not required, according to Salt River Project. SRP is a community-based nonprofit that provides affordable water and power to more than 2 million people in central Arizona. The area doesn’t get hurricanes, but it does get power outages.

Temporary power is another option. It includes: portable, towable and industrial generators; solar panels that make sense in the most remote areas that have little access to fuel for generators; and power banks, which are basically big batteries that can switch the output loads back and forth from themselves to generators for reduced noise and emissions. (Construction sites tend to use power banks for their flexibility and combination of generation and storage.)

SRP recommends business owners ask themselves the following questions to determine the best backup power solution. Specific requirements, of course, vary by location and jurisdiction. Always check with experts in your area to ensure safety, compliance and the best solution for your needs.

Critical Backup Power

• What is the electrical load requirement (kW, volts, amps, etc.)?
• How long will you need to use your UPS (10, 30, 60 minutes, etc.)?
• If you’ll need minutes, consider a battery UPS.
  • Requires air-conditioned space for installation (72 F).
  • Requires exhaust fans to vent battery emissions and HAZMAT protection.
  • Should service UPS annually.
  • Should inspect batteries semi-annually and replace them every two to four years.
• If you’ll need only seconds, consider a flywheel UPS.
  • Requires installation space cooler than 100 F.
  • Does not require exhaust fans or HAZMAT protection.
  • Should service UPS annually.
  • Should change flywheel bearings every three years.
  • Expect flywheel life cycle of about 20 years.

Noncritical Backup Power

• What is the electrical load requirement (kW, volts, amps, etc.)?
• Automatic or manual transfer switch?
• Do you need full power (entire facility)?
  • If so, what is peak demand (high kW) over the past 12 months?
• Or do you need priority power (only critical areas)?
  • If so, which areas/loads will result in business disruption if power is lost?

Temporary Power

• Where will power generation device and fuel source be located?
• Will it be on a trailer, or will it need to be unloaded?
• How far will the generation device be from the building connection?
• Consider installing a quick connection device.
• Do you require different voltages? Do you need transformers, distribution panels, outlets?
• Who knows how to operate the temporary power?
• Fueling/refueling must be arranged.
• Requires a certified electrician for a safe connection.
• Requires safety and security measures — fencing, barricades, cable ramps, etc.

Backup Power Supply Options

Now that you’ve answered these questions, you probably have a rough idea of your business needs for backup power supply. The most common options are backup power generators and backup battery storage.

Backup Power Generators

Before you buy a backup power generator, you must determine your highest possible electricity usage — your “peak demand” — and research generators that have enough capacity to meet that demand. Reputable manufacturers and dealers offer online capacity calculators.

Then, you must factor in whether you’ll run your backup power generator for full power or priority power (see previous list of questions).

Generators require their own, dedicated fuel sources — usually gasoline, natural gas, propane or diesel. Your peak demand, generator capacity and intended use will determine fuel type, fuel quantity and fuel storage tank needs.

The amount of fuel required to power a commercial emergency generator for days or weeks demands on-site bulk fuel storage tanks. A tank should have enough capacity to supply demand and outlast fuel supply chain disruptions common after hurricanes and other weather events. NRG recommends businesses with emergency power systems keep enough fuel stored on-site to run their generators for at least one week.

Backup Battery Storage

What if you run a small business that isn’t saving lives or protecting national security? You simply want a small-scale solution, say, to back up important data or power a few devices. Lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries could be the right solution. They can also function as UPS.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

• Can last three times longer than lead-acid batteries.
• Smaller than lead-acid batteries and can take up 80% less floor space.
• Expensive.
• Difficult to recycle.

Lead-Acid Batteries

• Common in emergency backup systems and have been used for decades.
• Less expensive.
• Bulky.
• Take longer to charge than lithium-ion.

Conclusion

Multiple electric power utilities, business owners and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce agree: Commercial backup power generators help businesses survive power outages.

“Have a commercial generator and know how to use it,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation tells business owners on its website. “Know how long it will last when it’s full. Have a backup supply of fuel ready. Test it every six months to ensure it’s ready to work for you and run it with a ‘full load’ to make sure it meets your power needs.”

More Resources

• Best practices for residential, industrial and commercial standby power generators: Pacific Northwest Laboratory
• Fuel choice comparison for backup generators: Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis

Need Help? Ask the Experts

For help in choosing the right fuel storage tank for hurricane preparedness, backup power solutions or everyday operations, it makes sense to ask the experts.

Unity Fuel Solutions is North America’s leader in double walled storage tanks. For advice on the tank and system that’s right for you, call the Unity team at 800-234-1689.

Getting your emergency power supply ready now and having a backup power generator can keep your doors open and your customers happy during a hurricane season power outage. Summer brings the start of a six-monthlong U.S. hurricane season, and small businesses that are lucky enough to avoid major storm damage often must close shop for another reason: power outages. (Remember when Hurricane Sandy caused a blackout across Manhattan?)

“Whether you’re in a residential home or running a business with refrigeration or other critical energy needs, backup energy can be comforting, property protecting and lifesaving,” the NRG Energy Inc. website states. The Houston-based energy company serves 7.5 million customers in 24 states, many of which are in hurricane zones.

Who Needs Emergency Power Solutions?

Hurricanes hit the U.S. each year (see NOAA hurricane map) between May and November. Businesses in hurricane zones can limit their losses, however, by preparing before the next hurricane.

This map from NASA shows the extent of power outages across Florida two days after Hurricane Ian slammed into the state on Sept. 28 and 29, 2022. This strength of hurricane, a category 4 hurricane with sustained 150 mph winds, causes electric power outages that can last weeks to months, according to the Associated Press.

But businesses don’t have to stay in the dark. Smart business owners can prepare now with emergency power systems, emergency power backup or both.

What’s the Difference: Emergency Power vs. Standby Power?

Many people use the terms “emergency power system” and “standby power” interchangeably, but the terms are different. It’s important to know the differences because the terms have different legal requirements and uses.

Emergency Power System

Emergency power systems turn on automatically within 10 seconds when the flow of power is interrupted. The National Fire Protection Assocation (NFPA) requires emergency power systems to power safety equipment including smoke detectors, elevators, exhaust fans for toxic fumes, lifesaving medical equipment and emergency communications such as exit lights.

Emergency power systems also must have power supplied separately from the main power supply. This requires emergency power generation, or generators. And these generators must have their own, dedicated fuel sources — usually gasoline, propane or diesel. For this reason, emergency power systems have a higher upfront cost than standby power systems. The upside is emergency power backup that’s ready to go whenever it’s needed.

The amount of fuel required to power a commercial emergency generator for days is more than you can transport from your neighborhood gas station. (And without electricity, gas station fuel dispensers don’t work anyway.) Liquid fuel for commercial generators should be stored on-site in bulk fuel storage tanks with enough capacity to supply demand and outlast fuel supply chain disruptions common after hurricanes. NRG recommends businesses with emergency power systems keep enough fuel stored on-site to run their generators for at least one week.

Standby Power

Standby power is a type of backup power, too, but it’s different than emergency power systems. Standby power doesn’t automatically come on when the flow of power is interrupted; it requires manual activation and can take a minute to kick on. What’s more, standby power doesn’t require a separate power supply from the main power supply, although it can have a separate power supply.

Some standby power is legally required; some is optional.

Standby power for heating, refrigeration and sewage pumps, for example, is required because those systems when not operational could create further hazards or hinder human rescue operations.

Standby power for other equipment, to prevent data loss or for comfort is optional and may or may not be tied in with legally required standby power sources.

Emergency Power Safety Checklist

The following tips from Texas-New Mexico Power, an electricity transmission and distribution provider with residential and business customers in 20 Texas communities, can keep employees and customers safe around generators.

• Read the generator manufacturer’s instructions to avoid dangerous missteps.
• Set up the generator outside at least 20 feet from open windows. Generator exhaust is deadly.
• Use a heavy-duty extension cord rated for outdoor use. (If the generator has a three-prong plug, use a three-prong extension cord.)
• Use a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm.
• Connect appliances directly to the generator.
• Do not wire the generator directly to your breaker or fuse box. (The power you generate can flow back into power lines and injure or kill a neighbor or utility crew trying to restore power.)
• Turn off connected appliances before starting the generator.
• Turn connected appliances on one at a time.
• If you are wet, standing in water or on damp ground, don’t touch a generator.
• Never refuel a hot or running generator.
• Ensure you have enough gas for operation stored safely in gas containers.
• Don’t leave a running generator unattended.
• Turn off the generator overnight and when away.

Emergency Power Resources

For more information about emergency power, emergency power backup and related topics, visit these resources.

• www.gasbuddy.com: Input your zip code to see which gas stations have fuel and power, no power, limited fuel options, and no fuel and power.
• Waze App: Get real-time traffic, road information and gas prices shared by other drivers.
• PEI/RP1400: Design and Installation of Fueling Systems for Emergency Generators, Stationary Diesel Engines and Oil Burner Systems
• OSHA: Using Portable Generators Safely
• Hurricane Preparedness for Businesses: Be prepared.
• Double walled fuel tanks for emergency generators.

Need Help? Ask the Experts.

For help in choosing the right fuel storage tank for disaster relief, emergency power systems or everyday operations, it makes sense to ask the experts.

Unity Fuel Solutions is North America’s leader in double walled storage tanks. For advice on the tank and system that’s right for you, call the Unity team at 800-234-1689.