The Importance of Emergency Lighting for Utah

       Electricity powers most of the conveniences of modern life, from cell phones and computers to climate control systems. However, electricity doesn’t just make life easier and more comfortable; it also helps keep people safe. 

Power outages, such as the one caused by a windstorm that left over 200,000 Utah homes without power in 2020, are one of the most common emergencies Americans face. Emergency lighting helps ensure that families, employees, and customers stay safe when the lights go out.

Why Emergency Lighting Is Important in Utah

Almost everyone experiences an occasional power outage. Emergency lights are an important part of your disaster plan for several reasons.

Power Outages Are Becoming More Frequent

Extreme weather events, such as floods, thunderstorms, extreme cold, and winter storms are one of the leading causes of power outages in Utah. Faulty equipment, vandalism, car crashes, fires, and even animal damage can also cause outages.

Aging infrastructure and an increase in extreme weather events have led to an increase in power outages across the United States. For example, in 2023, over 4,500 Utah homes in the town of Millcreek experienced a power outage during an extreme heatwave. 

Hotter summers and colder winters put a strain on the power grid. As usage goes up, even people who have not experienced power outages in the past may be at risk of an extended outage.

Power Loss Can Lead To Injuries and Deaths

Sudden darkness can be disorienting, even when you are in a familiar location. People trying to navigate a dark building during a power outage or a disaster, such as an earthquake or a fire, can suffer injuries due to collisions with objects or debris, or falling on hazards, such as stairs. 

Without emergency lighting, people may be unable to find their way out of a building during an emergency. Additionally, a lack of lighting can make it difficult for emergency personnel to find injured or trapped people in a building.

Commercial Buildings Must Comply with Fire Regulations

The National Fire Protection Association 101 code requires buildings, other than one and two-family dwellings and a few other exceptions, to have emergency and exit lighting. Emergency lights must function for at least 1.5 hours during a power outage.

Emergency Lighting Reduces Risks

Emergency lights keep portions of your building lit when you turn the regular lighting off. This can deter criminal activity on your property. Additionally, installing lighting may qualify you for a discount on your insurance premiums.

What Industrial Lighting Is Needed 

Industrial emergency light systems automatically activate when the power goes out or the fire system activates. Emergency lights need to be able to run off the power from a limited generator, and a licensed contractor should install the system. Additionally, commercial buildings must have illuminated exit signs that clearly guide occupants to the exit when the power goes out.

Emergency Light Maintenance

Inspect your lighting system at least once per month to ensure the bulbs and other equipment work properly. Test the lights for 30 seconds every 30 days and 90 minutes once per year. If you find a problem, contact the company that installed your system. You should not attempt to repair emergency systems yourself.

Where To Install Emergency Lighting

Commercial building owners must install emergency lights along escape routes and exits. It is also a good idea to light stairways, because people may injure themselves attempting to climb them in the dark.

Homeowners should keep emergency flashlights near beds, utility rooms, the kitchen, the garage, stairways, and other locations they may need to access during a power outage. Do not use emergency flashlights for any other purpose and store batteries in their original packaging instead of in the lights to prevent damage from corrosion.

Consider installing rechargeable lights that automatically come on when the power goes out along your escape route. Flashlights are safer than candles or oil lamps, but you may want to keep some of those on hand as well in case you run out of batteries, or your flashlights don’t work.

How To Prepare for a Power Outage in Utah

Add the phone number for your electric company to the emergency contacts in your phone. Keep cell phones charged and put some extra phone chargers in your emergency kit.

If someone in your home uses life-saving electronic medical equipment, make sure you have power backups for it. Consider contacting an electrician to install emergency lighting and a backup generator for your home and learn how to use it safely. If you have a portable generator, never run it inside your home or near a door or window.

Assemble an emergency kit that contains non-perishable food, flashlights, a manual can opener, bottled water, blankets, extra batteries, and a battery-operated radio. Keep some mobile phone power banks plugged into a wall outlet so you have backup power for your phone.

What To Do During a Utah Power Outage

If the power goes out and you don’t have an emergency lighting system or generator, get your emergency flashlight and then check your circuit breakers or fuse box. If you don’t have a blown fuse or tripped breaker, go outside to see if your neighbors’ lights are on.

If power is out throughout your neighborhood, call your power company to report an outage. Turn off your electrical equipment to prevent power surges from damaging your property when the power comes back on.

If your lights are flickering, dim, or excessively bright when the power returns, turn everything off and call your power company to report the problem. If everything is functioning correctly, turn your porch light on so that power crews can see that your lights are working when they patrol the neighborhood.

Emergency Lighting and Electrical Services in Utah

Keeping your electrical system in good working order and installing a backup generator can prevent extended power outages. All Aboard has been serving commercial and residential customers in Northern Utah for more than 40.