Seaside Park, N.J, Reenergized by Kohler Backup Generator Donation

A hard-hit area on the New Jersey coast received a big gift today from Kohler_® Generators. In a goodwill gesture, Kohler Generators donated a commercial-grade, standby generator to the Borough of Seaside Park, N.J. The backup generator will provide emergency power to the administration and executive building, which serves as a command center and shelter during crisis situations. 

Seaside Park was ravaged by two disasters in the span of one year. In October 2012, Superstorm Sandy swept away its famed boardwalk and a nearby amusement park, while destroying homes and businesses in its path. The community rebuilt only to have their efforts set back by a devastating boardwalk fire in September of this year. Now, to help ensure another disaster doesn’t cripple Seaside Park’s ability to respond to a crisis, Kohler Generators has donated an emergency backup generator to power the Borough’s administration building, located at 1701 North Ocean Avenue. This building serves as a command center and shelter during a crisis situation.

“Kohler has employees, dealers and customers throughout the entire East Coast, including this community,” said Brandon Hepner, regional sales manager for Kohler Generators. “Many of us witnessed the devastation in Seaside Park first hand, and have been inspired by how this community has pulled together and persevered. As a company, we have a strong commitment to the communities where we do business. When we learned that Seaside Park was looking for a backup power solution for the administration building, Kohler and our nearby distributor Cooper Electric jumped at the opportunity to help.”

The 60-kilowatt generator donated by Kohler is large enough to power the entire building and turns on automatically when power is lost. In the face of another disaster, this will ensure the community can stay up-and-running to meet the needs of its residents. The generator, which is being installed by Kopp Electric, Toms River, N.J., will be operational by the end of the year. This will prepare Seaside Park for any weather emergencies that may hit this winter.  

“When we’re faced with a crisis like Superstorm Sandy or the boardwalk fire, our administration building becomes a backup command center where we coordinate the response effort and conduct government business,” said Bob Matthies, mayor of Seaside Park. “It also serves as a shelter for residents who are most in need. It’s absolutely critical to have reliable backup power in this building so we can keep the city up-and-running, especially during an emergency situation. This generator from Kohler ensures we can respond to the needs of our residents during a time of crisis. It’s an amazing gift during this holiday season.”

In addition to commercial generators – like the one donated to Seaside Park – Kohler also makes backup home generators. These generators, often referred to as standby generators, vary in size and can power everything in a home, including: lights, heating and cooling systems, sump pumps, refrigerators, home security systems, office equipment and delicate electronics. A standby generator is permanently installed outside the home, like a central air conditioning unit. It runs on propane or natural gas through existing fuel lines in a home. A transfer switch automatically transfers the electrical load to the generator if utility power is lost, usually within 10 seconds. Homeowners do not need to be present because it’s fully automatic.

“Backup power is indeed a ‘must have’ for municipalities like Seaside Park,” Hepner said. “It’s also important for homeowners and businesses – especially in areas prone to severe weather events and prolonged power outages. When severe weather hits and the power goes out, it takes time for the utilities and local authorities to respond. That’s why it’s important to consider a backup generator that automatically turns on when power is lost. It’s a smart way to protect your home, family and business.”