This year medical software and billing company Avisena won't have to worry if the power goes out.
After Hurricane Wilma, the company's servers, located at Terremark's Network Access Point in downtown Miami, never went down. But its Miami offices lost power for almost a week - each one of those days representing $1.5 million in lost client billings, said President and CEO Albert Santalo.
But this hurricane season Avisena will be better prepared. In two weeks the company will move into new offices that are on the same electrical grid as Miami International Airport. Although the building rarely loses power, the company also has arranged to use a neighbor's generator just in case.
MAJOR PROBLEM
"We lost power for something like five to six days, " said Santalo. "In our business, that's a big deal."
But if you haven't figured out backup power for your business yet, what can you do?
The first issue is deciding whether to install a permanent generator at your business. While that's often the cheapest long-term option these days that can mean extensive lead times for pulling permits, and in some cases, for getting the generator from a manufacturer.
Next, companies need to decide what they want to power - just critical systems or full operations, said Florida Power & Light's Mark Falasca. Falasca is the area sales manager for FPL Services, which supplies and installs permanent generators for commercial customers.
Then comes the permitting process, which ensures that the generator and its fuel storage systems are housed in an appropriate enclosure.
"Whether it's Florida Power & Light or a master electrician, the business owner has to allocate enough time for design and installation, " said Falasca.
Keep in mind that if you haven't started the process yet, it may not be possible to get a permanent generator installed until 2007.
NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT
Another option for this season is to prenegotiate a contract for a temporary generator after a storm with a company like Miller Electric.
"There will be a shortage of generators once a hurricane hits the area, " said Mike King, the company's South Florida operations manager. "We advise everyone to get on a contingency plan for a year."
Miller Electric starts moving in equipment as the storm approaches. When it passes, the company swings into action, installing temporary generators as soon as possible. Its electricians set up the generator and arrange fuel supplies, which includes putting clients on a route so fuel is regularly delivered for as long as it's needed.
Once the power comes back on, everything gets rolled back up, King said.
Either way, it's important for companies to research their options thoroughly and get professional help, said Barry Johnson, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
It's not wise to "just hook up a generator that you got from The Home Depot to your business and think that's going to work for you, " he said.
