Generators can keep operations humming.

• Author: Marshall, Jeffrey
• Position: Business continuity - Brief article

It goes without saying that a natural disaster--a hurricane, tornado, lightning strike, etc.--can potentially wreak havoc with business operations. Couple that with the apparent fragility of the power grid, evidenced by a massive blackout in the Northeast a couple of years ago, and having a backup power source starts making a lot of sense.

The impact of losing power for extended periods ranges by industry, of course. For a services firm, it's an inconvenience when clients can't reach you or your website goes down. For a food services firm that loses refrigeration in a warm climate, the losses could be devastating--especially if the business isn't adequately insured.

If the area has experienced a major storm, customers are probably aware that there could be service disruptions. "But it could just be that a telephone pole was knocked out down the street" and customers wouldn't know that, notes Eric Johnston, senior vice president for Americas Generators, a supplier of mobile and portable generators based outside Miami.

The return on investment for a backup generator could be huge, Johnston says. His...