Knox City Council Discusses Protection Against Lightning Damage to City Equipment

Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

Mayor Rick Chambers informed the Knox City Council this week that he is exploring ways to protect city equipment from lightning strikes.

“Jeff, Ed and I, met with the company called Flotronics, a company that engineers and designs electrical systems components to stop lightning damage,” the Mayor told the Council. “They came up with some figures at the Wastewater Plant, $12,449 and $8,295 at the Water Plant. So, it’ll be about $21,000. It’s to protect the wires so the lightning doesn’t go through the wires into the machines and it’s put on in layers, like three different layers, of protection.”

Last year there were over $52,000 in claims turned in to the insurance carrier for lightning damage. Damage was done to computers and motors.
The equipment that would be installed would act much the same as heavy surge protectors. Much smaller voltage waves would go through the wires.

The insurance carrier has placed coverage on this equipment using a $2,500 deductible, but said that would be reviewed in one year.

The Mayor said if the Council agrees to the cost of the protectors, he would then notify the insurance company of the effort to cut down on claims.