Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Backup Power Is Critical

  • By Bill Allen
  • 09/01/16

Power protection is a sometimes forgotten aspect of keeping a campus safe during a power outage caused by either a man-made or natural disaster. When a student, faculty member or administrator enters a campus facility, there is a presumption that all systems designed for keeping everyone safe are working, even during a power outage.

Network servers and workstations are the first things that typically come to mind for most administrators when it comes to backup power, but other critical systems cannot be overlooked.

When a power outage occurs, a campus security system is perhaps the most important system to have protected by a battery backup, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Security cameras, video recorders, access control systems, fire alarm systems and emergency communications are absolutely critical for ensuring campus safety. If these systems do not have appropriate power backup, security vulnerabilities are huge and liabilities are magnified. The good news is that most of this security hardware can have appropriate battery backup at a cost-effective price.

One of the most important questions to consider in security system power protection is how long should all aspects of the security system stay up and running? Is one hour sufficient? Are four or more hours enough? The length of backup battery time required by a campus can be debated and may vary from campus to campus, but the importance of ensuring safety is undeniable.

Many different types of power protection solutions are available, including systems that allow the addition of external battery packs to extend power backup from minutes to hours. Campuses invest large amounts of money in security systems, but if a proper power backup system is not included, the investment will be of little value during a power outage. Hot tip: Ask whoever is in charge of security if your campus is appropriately covered with backup power.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Bill Allen is the director of Marketing with Minuteman Power Technologies. He can be reached at 800-238-7272.

Featured

  • Kimball International Releases Curated Design Support Program

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of a new end-to-end design support program, DesignSuite. According to a news release, its goal is to guide architecture & design professionals and dealer partners through the process from vision to specification.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.