The year 2016 is about to end, leaving in its wake tragedies and destructions as well as accomplishments and triumphs. We have sorrowed over painful events but also applauded as we have watched the human spirit transcend adversity.
As in every year, power became a key player, fueling large events and also taking a beating through natural disasters. Here’s a quick look at power-related happenings from 2016:
Hurricane Season
The 2016 hurricane season was among the most active and costliest hurricane seasons of recent years. This year’s hurricane season also had the highest number of casualties since the hurricane season of 2005. The first hurricane, Alex, came in mid-January, starting the hurricane season earlier than usual. Hurricane Matthew was the latest major hurricane of the season. This costly Category 5 hurricane caused over 1,000 deaths.
Power outages occurred in many areas hit by the hurricanes, leaving people without power for days. Houses with basements were flooded because the power interruption caused sump pumps to stop working.
People who owned generator sets were better off during power outages as they could rely on their emergency power supply. They were able to keep their small appliances running and power their homes. Businesses, too, were able to continue to function thanks to power from generators.
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a yearly event that runs through the boroughs of the city. The NYC Marathon is the world’s largest marathon with approximately 50,000 runners crossing the finish line each year. The Marathon is held the first Sunday of November of each year.
Power for the NYC Marathon
It is not only leg power that is needed to keep the marathon ticking. While runners must store enough energy to power them through the grueling race, electricity is needed to power the tents that house medical units and equipment.
At Staten Island where the race starts, there are three diesel-powered generators to supply the medical tents. Each generator can crank out 800 kilowatts, enough to power 400 homes. Two generators are actively used and the third is for back up. Other generators are in the area to power additional tents, water coolers, refrigerators, and more.
Americas Generators
Generators are helpful in many different situations. In times of natural disaster, they help sustain life and comfort. In exciting times such as at great America sporting events, they accommodate huge crowds and various medical needs. In short, generator sets play a very crucial role in keeping the world ticking.
