Tri Creek staff outline power-outage response; only high-school complex fully generator-equipped
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Summary
Facilities staff explained how the district responds when power fails, the limits of HVAC recovery time and which buildings have generator power. Trustees heard that the high school complex is the primary emergency site but most elementary schools are not fully generator-backed.
Jason, the district facilities presenter, told the board how Tri Creek manages building systems and safety during power outages and what is and is not covered by existing generators.
Why it matters: power outages affect building temperature, refrigeration, alarms and communications. The district explained which systems are on generator power, how long emergency lighting and alarm batteries last, and what additional work staff are evaluating to expand generator coverage.
Jason said outages are “almost every time, it's a NIPSCO issue,” and described the recovery timeline for large HVAC systems: “they can take 4 to 6 hours to get your buildings back.” He explained that elementary-school fresh-air HVAC systems lengthen recovery time and that many devices (refrigeration, some telephones, and internet-dependent temperature monitors) are not covered by the district’s generators.
On backup power, Jason said generators currently power emergency lighting and select house pumps; the Tri Creek middle and high school complex is the only campus where the gym airflow is connected to the generator. He told trustees the district is studying expanding generator connections and will complete a cost analysis; he said the fire-alarm NAC-panel batteries give several hours of operation and spare batteries are kept on hand to avoid immediate fire-watch requirements.
Board members and staff discussed community use of the high school during outages. Trustees and staff said the high school has served as an emergency or warming site during recent weather-related shutdowns. Jason and others noted the district has an external generator jack for kitchen refrigeration and said staff have relocated food during extended outages when necessary.
Jason summarized next steps: maintenance will continue on batteries and alarm panels, staff will complete a generator-capacity cost analysis and present recommendations about expanding generator connections to to cover critical systems such as fire alarms and selected HVAC or community spaces.
