15 (Photo by Cecil Shillingford) • Continued from previous page Additionally, without appropriate appliances – specific devices for backup power, the ubiquitous cell phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and smart watches will not last for more than 36 hours or so without mains power. This reality suggests to me that modern families have to take planning for electrical power interruptions more seriously. This simply arises when we accept that we really are very vulnerable in a way that our parents were not. The vulnerability is compounded by the fact that most people under the age of 50 in the Caribbean do not have much personal experience with a life without the gadgets, devices and appliances we identified before. It is fair to say that without the gamut — gadgets, devices and appliances — those younger people are lost if there is no electricity. I can hear some of you, the more mature ones saying, “Oh, Oh, we must get our own auxiliary generator just in case.” However, if you decide to do that in addition to ensuring that you can afford it up front there are some precautions that you will need to take that we will share with you. The advice is largely taken from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The most important of the advice is to seek the advice and professional assistance of a qualified electrician in every stage of the process from initial home inspection to appliance selection and purchase to installation, commissioning, operations and maintenance. SPECIFIC PRECAUTIONS FOR USING AUXILIARY GENERATORS • Do not simply attach an auxiliary generator directly to the electrical system in your home. Get a competent electrician to install a transfer switch • Never overload a generator • Ground the generator properly • Avoid installing generators in enclosed, indoor spaces. Generator exhaust can produce Carbon Monoxide gas. The gas is lethal but it is odourless and colourless. You might not know it is there until it has already started to affect you. It is highly poisonous. Get fresh air immediately and seek urgent medical attention if you think you were exposed to Carbon Monoxide gas especially if you feel dizzy, lethargic or nauseous. Make sure the generator and its location are assessed by a competent person before continued use • A generator should have at least three clear feet of space on all sides at the top for proper ventilation • Do not use the generator in wet or damp conditions without appropriate shelter, covering and protection for it • Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) in and around unavoidably wet circumstances. Ensure that any equipment you will use in such circumstances are designed for it • Continues on next page
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