Among sellers of backup power supplies, it's an unfortunate fact of business that most people give little consideration to the potential for electrical disruptions until something bad actually happens.
But when the lights are out, the computer's dead and the TV screen goes blank, consumers are ready to take action.
If that pattern of behavior plays out as predicted, suppliers of backup power and surge protection devices can expect to see a jump in new orders following this week's massive power failure in parts of the northeastern United States and Canada.
"Most people don't think to check their emergency lighting until they have a power failure and they don't go on," said Donna Brouillette, office manager at Mule Lighting, a seller of replacement batteries in Providence, Rhode Island. She says she has been fielding a heavier-than-usual volume of calls following Thursday's blackout.
Much like a terrorism alert earlier this year inspired Americans to stock up on duct tape and plastic sheeting, retailers expect the blackout will motivate people to snap up uninterruptible power sources, batteries, solar chargers and high-end surge protection strips. Sellers of batteries, in addition, could be among the biggest beneficiaries.
"People in these types of instances tend to be prepared for the worst and want to get all the supplies, and batteries tend to be one of those," said Eric Tobias, vice president of marketing at the retail site batteries.com.
Tobias said the company plans to stock up on items they expect to be in demand following the blackout, including solar-powered products and backup units that can run several gadgets for a half hour or a single device for a couple of hours. He's also girding for a rise in orders for staple items like flashlight batteries.
It's not just products providing backup power that will likely see increased demand.
According to Don King, director of product marketing for Panamax, a maker of surge protection devices, the greatest danger of equipment damage in most blackout situations actually occurs when the power goes back on.
Particularly in the case of sudden power failures caused by lightning and storms, voltage levels can soar suddenly when the electricity starts flowing again. In other blackout situations, power can fluctuate in intensity once it kicks in again. In both types of scenarios, equipment that is not plugged into a properly protected power strip can suffer damage.
After this week's blackout, King says it's more likely people will see moderate voltage fluctuations, rather than severe surges, when power is restored.
"You're probably not going to have damage if you're plugged into a decent surge protector," he said. "If it's a $5 strip, you might."
