Mother nature is fierce. She haunts mankind's assertions that we
are the dominant force on Earth. Countless times she has beaten
this belief out of us with lethal force. We are often left
completely defenseless to the natural disasters rained down on us
by one of the last untamable aspects of our existence.

Despite the intimidating forces working against us, technologies
have been developed to withstand the onslaught of uncontrolled
meteorological events. In addition to building defenses, such as
dams and levies, we have engineered detection tools such as the
weather radar and tsunami warning systems. To help us cope in the
aftermath of a major weather event, we have even engineered
numerous devices targeted at helping us to achieve the fastest
recovery times possible.

The United States government has established numerous agencies
dedicated solely to disaster relief. These agencies target those
affected by the worst nature has to offer, and they do everything
in their power to comfort those affected by disaster.

In the aftermath of the F-5 tornado that decimated Greensburg,
Kansas, the state and federal governments as well as the Red
Cross brought many resources to the town to help speed the
recovery of this small Kansas town. Of those resources brought to
the area, the electric power generator was one that was
definitely appreciated by those who sought to help those who had
just lost everything.

One of the most difficult aspects of natural disasters is that
they typically knock out power to entire regions or areas. This
can be particularly damaging, because of the dependency that so
many people have on their power supply.

The Importance of Electricity

While it may seem frivolous to quantify the importance of
electricity, it is an aspect of our daily lives that is typically
overlooked or taken for granted. Every part of our daily lives is
tied to our consumption of power.

We store our food in electric refrigerators. We cool and heat our
homes with climate control units. We rely on electricity to keep
out lifesaving machinery functioning properly. With the mastery
of power, we have been successfully able to populate some of the
most inhospitable climates of the world and thrive in that
environment.

Emergencies that knock out power are common, but it can often
take days, if not weeks to restore a broken power grid. It is
frequently impossible to store food for such long time frames.
Having a back up power supply, in the event of such a difficult
time, can mean the difference between life and death, depending
on the severity of the situation and the length of the power
outage.

Electric Power Generators

The significance of electricity has lead many people in high-risk
areas to invest in generators. Having a means of producing power
when everyone else is in the dark can prove to be a tremendously
advantageous.

There are several different models of emergency generators
available for disaster situations. Gas powered temporary
generators can be installed outside of the home to provide
temporary relief for the basic electronics needed to function in
daily life.

Permanent back up generators can be installed in a home that is
prone to power loss. A professional must install this kind of
generator because it links directly into a home's power service
entrance. In the event of a power outage, a back-up generator
will automatically kick in and begin powering the house within 20
seconds. Natural gas generators are traditionally connected to a
home's gas line to avoid the need to be refilled.

In addition to providing essential care and comfort, having power
can also encourage humanitarian thoughts and lead one to help
their neighbors who are also in need.

Disaster Relief

In the aftermath of a large tragedy, it is important to restore
order as quickly as possible. The longer people are away from the
routine of their daily lives, the more chaotic the aftermath of a
disaster. Establishing order in a chaotic environment is
essential to allowing emergency crews to access all potentially
injured people in a timely manner.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, concerned citizens donated
hundreds of generators to the American Red Cross from other parts
of the country and the world. It was obvious that order needed to
be restored to the region as quickly as possible, to allow people
to begin rebuilding their lives in the face of such destruction.

An estimated 3 million people were left without power in the wake
of Hurricane Katrina. Generators became the only thing keeping
hospital patients from death. Despite careful planning and
preparation, the loss of life during this event was alarmingly
high.

Emergency rescue crews used portable generators to power their
operations and provide relief to a staggering amount of people.
From their stable locations, they were able to assist thousands
of people searching for an evacuation point or simply in need of
food and clean water.

The sweltering heat of Louisiana in September was enough to cause
fatal injuries. Relief stations were available to help lower some
of the risk of heat-related illnesses, even if it was only
temporary.

In Conclusion

While disaster relief is an unfortunate necessity, being able to
provide some assistance to those in need is an important aspect
of all civilized societies. Portable generators are just one
piece in the process of restoring order in the aftermath of
tragedy.

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Written by: Will Gruver of US Power & Environment. USPE's Eden
Prairie, MN headquarters, assisted by in-house product technical
and operations specialists, has the experience gained from
supplying, installing and maintaining on-site energy systems
across the country and around the world. They buy, sell, rent
and repair natural gas and diesel power generators. To learn
more, visit their website at: http://www.uspowerco.com
or give them a call at: 877-772-6018