High Sierra Electronics COVID-19 Update

Dear Valued Customers and Partners,

First, our hearts and prayers are with those that have been impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and we thank all those who are working diligently to stop its spread and reduce its impact.

Further, as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to challenge public health and business communities globally, High Sierra Electronics (HSE), as part of the Advanced Environmental Monitoring (AEM) family of businesses, wants you to know we have taken necessary action to ensure we continue to meet your needs, while also protecting our employees. As severe weather and extreme natural events will be among the few things not impacted by the COVID-19 virus, we recognize that our products and services must continue to provide reliable data and insights for key decision makers to save lives, protect property and support safe and efficient operations.

Our facilities have taken action regarding increased communication, training and supplies to maintain sanitary environments for our employees. We have also implemented our remote working procedures such that nearly 60% of our employees are already working from home to help minimize the potential for community spread of the virus. Within our production operations, we have staggered shifts and condensed workweeks to minimize employee transitions while allowing for improved workspace distancing. Finally, based on planning unrelated to COVID-19, the majority of our operations already have local inventory availability, minimal reliance on international suppliers and multiple sources for key components.

Our focus on customer service remains a high priority at HSE. We are fully operational and availability of our product lineup and our support and services teams remains at our usual high levels.

This is a dynamic and rapidly changing situation. HSE and the AEM family of businesses are committed to providing you uninterrupted service and support. Please contact us if you have any special or unique needs during this time and we will do our best to respond. Thank you for your continued loyalty and we look forward to serving your needs now and in the future.

Regards,

Your High Sierra Electronics Team

A Message from AEM CEO Rodney Smith About Our Operations During COVID-19

 

To Our Valued Customers and Partners,

First, our hearts and prayers are with those that have been impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and we thank all those who are working diligently to stop its spread and reduce its impact.

Further, as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to challenge public health and business communities globally, the Advanced Environmental Monitoring (AEM) family of businesses want you to know we have taken necessary action to ensure we continue to meet your needs while also protecting our employees.

As severe weather and extreme natural events will be among the few things not impacted by the COVID-19 virus, we recognize that our products and services must continue to provide reliable data and insights for key decision makers to save lives, protect property and support safe and efficient operations.

All of our facilities have taken action regarding increased communication, training and supplies to maintain sanitary environments for our employees. We have also implemented our remote working procedures such that nearly 60% of our employees are already working from home to help minimize the potential for community spread of the virus. Within our production operations, we have staggered shifts and condensed workweeks to minimize employee transitions while allowing for improved workspace distancing. Finally, based on planning unrelated to COVID-19, the majority of our operations already have local inventory availability, minimal reliance on international suppliers and multiple sources for key components.

This is a dynamic and rapidly changing situation but the AEM family of businesses is committed to providing you uninterrupted service and support. Whether working at our offices or from our homes, we remain here and fully engaged to assist you when you need us. If you have
concerns or if you need us, please contact us through your regular channels of communication to ensure we are best able to meet your needs and expectations.

Stay safe.

Rodney Smith
CEO, Advanced Environmental Monitoring

Download AEM Statement

Earth Networks Joins the Advanced Environmental Monitoring Family of Companies

Earth Networks, a global provider of high quality, high resolution weather data and environmental intelligence from the world’s largest hyperlocal weather network, joins the Advanced Environmental Monitoring family of companies.

December 10, 2019 – Germantown, MD – Union Park Capital, a Boston based private equity firm focused on lower middle-market industrial technology investments, today announced the acquisition of Earth Networks, based in Germantown, MD.

For over 25 years, Earth Networks has helped organizations across the globe mitigate financial, operational and human risk by providing environmental intelligence from the world’s largest hyperlocal weather networks. Operating over 1,700 sensors across 100 countries, the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network is the most advanced lightning detection network in the world. Its ability to comprehensively monitor both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning enables the creation of faster severe weather alerts, lightning-derived radar alternatives and real-time storm visualization.

Earth Networks will join Union Park’s Advanced Environmental Monitoring platform (“AE Monitoring”) and will partner with the current businesses within the AE Monitoring family, including Davis Instruments, OneRain, High Sierra, Vieux & Associates, FTS, and Lambrecht Meteo. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Together, these entities can provide full-stack, end-to-end application solutions for customers across a multitude of industry applications.

“We are delighted to add Earth Networks to the AE Monitoring family. Having built the world’s largest lightning detection network, Earth Networks is playing a critical role in delivering weather safety solutions to protect people and assets in markets around the world,” says Peter McGuire, Partner & Co-Founder at Union Park Capital. “Their global data services and alerting applications enable differentiated value driven from their proprietary environmental networks,” said Peter.

“We are very excited for Earth Networks to join the Advanced Environmental Monitoring family,” says Rich Spaulding, CEO of Earth Networks. “By combining the unique technology and assets of Earth Networks, with the proven capabilities within other companies in the AE Monitoring portfolio, we are extremely enthusiastic about bringing broader and deeper solutions to our clients.”

About Earth Networks, Inc.
Earth Networks helps organizations mitigate financial, operational and human risk by providing environmental intelligence from the world’s largest hyperlocal weather network. Schools, airports, sports teams, utilities and government agencies rely on our early warning solutions to safeguard lives, prepare for weather events and optimize operations. Companies across all industries use our weather data to automate decisions regarding risk management, business continuity, and asset protection. For more information, visit www.earthnetworks.com.

About Advanced Environmental Monitoring
Advanced Environmental Monitoring (AE Monitoring) was formed by Union Park Capital in 2018. AE Monitoring is combining global leaders to provide reliable and innovative environmental monitoring and analysis solutions. Our family of innovators offer world-class technologies and services, including sensors, dataloggers, telemetry, and software that provide advanced analytics and prediction. These technologies enable decision makers to improve their reaction time to weather and environmental events, helping to protect communities, people and infrastructure. For more information, visit www.aemonitoring.com.

About Union Park Capital
Union Park Capital is a private equity firm solely focused on lower middle-market industrial technology companies. Union Park takes a long-term perspective to help stakeholders build value over time and drives value creation through profitably growing a business, not financial engineering. Union Park Capital is based in Boston, MA, and has extensive investments and expertise in the analytical instrumentation sector. For more information, visit www.union-park.com.

New Orleans Installs New High Sierra Electronics’ Flood Warning System

The City of New Orleans has installed a new automated Flood Early Warning System comprising High Sierra Electronics’ sensors, weather stations, and roadway warning signs. The High Water Detection Systems (HWDS), installed at 12 underpasses throughout the City, continuously monitor rainfall and water level data in real time and are designed to improve public safety.

Advanced High Water Detection System Monitors Around the Clock

Motorists often underestimate how quickly and deep the water can get at the low-lying underpasses.
Motorists often underestimate how quickly and deep the water can get at the low-lying underpasses.

It doesn’t take much rain for the underpasses in the City to flood during heavy or sustained rain storms. Motorists often underestimate how quickly and deep the water can get and can find themselves stuck when their vehicle stalls out in high water. All too often, first responders and emergency crews have had perform water rescues at these underpasses.

The new advanced warning system detects and monitors real-time rainfall and rising water conditions around the clock in each of the high-risk areas. As certain conditions and thresholds are exceeded, the system automatically triggers “road closed” signage and beacon warning lights to alert drivers to the flooding hazard. Data from the various sensors and weather stations are continuously collected 24/7 by Contrail® web-based software. As well as providing visualization to City personnel, the software automatically processes, analyzes, and monitors this information for potential flooding and sends automatic alerts and detailed notifications to relevant City personnel and emergency responders to give them advance warning of impending flood conditions.

High Water Detection Warning Sign
New automated High Water Detection and Flood Warning System includes “Road Closed” signs and flashing beacons during roadway flooding events to warn motorists

Beyond warning motorists to turn around, the flood warning system will also provide an additional layer of critical, real-time information to the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP), the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, and the National Weather Service during storms. Each installation includes a weather station that measures the real-time rate of rainfall, rainfall total, temperature, and wind speed at the underpass location.

“Impacts from storms can be highly localized,” said NOHSEP Director Collin Arnold. “Having twelve calibrated weather stations spread throughout the city will give our emergency managers and our drainage partners significantly more situational awareness to make critical and timely decisions during storms.”

Road closure data from the flood warning system will also eventually be displayed publicly on the City’s real-time road hazard website, streetwise.nola.gov, enabling motorists to plan ahead.

The system is scalable, so as funds become available, additional locations of frequent street flooding will be considered for installation.

More on this story can be viewed on the City of New Orleans website here.

Video: Watch WWL-TV coverage of new flood warning system for City of New Orleans
Video: Watch WWL-TV coverage of new flood warning system for City of New Orleans

 

 

Contrail® is a registered trademark of OneRain Incorporated, a sister company of High Sierra Electronics, Inc. High Sierra Electronics and OneRain are part of the AE Monitoring family of innovators.

Davis Instruments Joins the AE Monitoring Family of Companies

Davis Instruments Corporation, a leading developer and manufacturer of precision weather, marine, and environmental instrumentation, joins the AE Monitoring family of companies.

Boston, MA – July 31, 2019. Union Park Capital, a Boston based private equity firm focused on lower middle-market industrial technology investments, today announced the acquisition of Davis Instruments Corporation (“Davis”), based in Hayward, CA. For over 50 years, Davis has been recognized as a leader in developing and manufacturing precision weather, marine and environmental instrumentation. With customers across the global, Davis has become the trusted brand for meteorologists, educators, farmers, students, and discerning hobbyists. The business will join Union Park’s Advanced Environmental Monitoring platform (“AE Monitoring”), and will partner with the current businesses within the AE Monitoring family, including OneRain, High Sierra, Vieux & Associates, FTS, and Lambrecht Meteo. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“We are delighted to have Davis join the AE Monitoring family. Davis has a strong product offering and history of excellent customer service,” says Peter McGuire, Partner & Co-Founder at Union Park Capital. Davis is the world leader in weather stations for agriculture and discerning hobbyists. “The value of their product is unmatched within the customer applications they target,” said Peter.

“We are very excited for Davis to join the Advanced Environmental Monitoring family,” says Jim Acquistapace, former owner of Davis Instruments. “Becoming part of a larger platform will allow the business to take advantage of collaborations with AE Monitoring’s other companies in meteorology, hydrology, and broader environmental monitoring parameters. Davis has best in class product development, world class manufacturing, and a broad set of potential applications and end markets to take its products. As a part of the AE Monitoring family, I am excited to see Davis continue to grow and innovate across these large global market opportunities.”

About Davis Instruments Corporation
Davis Instruments was founded in 1963 and has become recognized throughout the world for manufacturing affordable, precision weather and marine instruments to meet the needs of value-minded professionals and consumers who demand the best. From the sleek, full-featured Vantage Vue to the customizable, industrial-grade Vantage Pro2 to the market leading Windex Wind Vane, Davis Instruments has engineered products for meteorologists, educators, farmers, students, and discerning hobbyists. For more information, visit www.davisinstruments.com.

About Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings
Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings (AE Monitoring) was formed by Union Park Capital in 2018 to create a family of companies focused on monitoring of critical environmental parameters, including meteorology, hydrology, air, and soil. Social demands for environmental responsibility continue to increase, leading to growing initiatives and regulations for the development of environmental friendly industries, increased focus on disaster prevention and extreme weather (floods, hurricanes, droughts, thunderstorms, etc.), and advances in technology enabling real-time, more accurate monitoring in hazardous applications and environments. For more information, visit www.aemonitoring.com.

About Union Park Capital
Union Park Capital is a private equity firm solely focused on lower middle-market industrial technology companies. Union Park takes a long-term perspective to help stakeholders build value over time and drives value creation through profitably growing a business, not financial engineering. Union Park Capital is based in Boston, MA, and has extensive investments and expertise in the analytical instrumentation sector. For more information, visit www.union-park.com.

FTS Joins the AE Monitoring Family of Companies

FTS, a leading manufacturer of fire weather and remote environmental monitoring solutions, joins the AE Monitoring family of companies.

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA – January 2, 2019. Union Park Capital, a Boston based private equity firm focused on lower middle-market industrial technology investments, today announced the acquisition of Forest Technology Systems, Ltd. (“FTS”), based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. FTS is a leading manufacturer of remote environmental monitoring solutions including systems, instrumentation, telemetry and software for the Hydrology, Fire Weather and Meteorology industries. The business will join Union Park’s Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings platform (“AE Monitoring”), which was launched in March 2018. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“FTS is an exceptional addition to the AE Monitoring family,” says Peter McGuire, Partner & Co-Founder at Union Park Capital. FTS is the world leader in environmental monitoring solutions for predicting, preventing, and managing wildfires. FTS stations are used by all the top 50 government forest management agencies in the United States and Canada. “Their technical capabilities and deep application knowledge are unmatched,” said Peter. In addition to fire weather, FTS designs, manufactures and services sensors, dataloggers, camera systems, IoT software and mobile applications.

“Joining AE Monitoring is a great opportunity for FTS,” says FTS CEO David Reid. “Our mission will continue to be making our customers successful in their efforts to monitor, record, and analyze changes in the natural environment.” Mr. Reid will continue as CEO after the acquisition as will the entire FTS management team. “This is great news for our customers, employees and sales network. AE Monitoring provides us a platform to accelerate growth and deliver a broader solution set to our customers.”

About FTS Forest Technology Systems, Ltd.
FTS was founded in 1980 with a focus on the fire weather meteorological niche. Since then, FTS has become a leading manufacturer of remote environmental monitoring systems, instrumentation and communications technology for the Hydrology, Fire Weather and Meteorology industries. FTS is the world leader in environmental monitoring solutions for fire weather. The company’s headquarters, research and design lab, and manufacturing plant are located in Victoria, British Columbia, with a branch office in Blaine, Washington. For more information, visit www.ftsinc.com.

About Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings
Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings (AE Monitoring) was formed by Union Park Capital in 2018 to create a family of companies focused on monitoring of critical environmental parameters, including meteorology, hydrology, air, and soil. Social demands for environmental responsibility continue to increase, leading to growing initiatives and regulations for the development of environmentally friendly industries, increased focus on disaster prevention and extreme weather (floods, hurricanes, droughts, thunderstorms, etc.), and advances in technology enabling real-time, more accurate monitoring in hazardous applications and environments. For more information, visit www.aemonitoring.com.

About Union Park Capital
Union Park Capital is a private equity firm solely focused on lower middle-market industrial technology companies. Union Park takes a long-term perspective to help stakeholders build value over time and drives value creation through profitably growing a business, not financial engineering. Union Park Capital is based in Boston, MA, and has extensive investments and expertise in the analytical instrumentation sector. For more information, visit www.union-park.com.

Driver Safety During Roadway Flooding

Safe to Proceed: Roadway Flooding Solution

Author: Frank Gutierrez, Regional Sales Manager at High Sierra Electronics, Inc. for South Central/Southeast U.S.A. 

 

Flooding causes more deaths and property damage in the U.S. than any other severe weather related event¹. The reason that so many people drown during flooding is because few of them realize the incredible power of water. A mere six inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult. It takes only two feet of rushing water to carry away most vehicles, which includes pick-up trucks and SUVs.

 

Texas is prone to extremely heavy rains and flooding with half of the world record rainfall rates (accumulations in 48 hour less). It also has the distinction of being the state with the most flood-related deaths in the past thirty-six years. Bexar County in Central Texas, about 190 miles west of Houston, is particularly vulnerable because storms stall along the Balcones escarpment. This region has earned the nickname “flash flood alley”. Due to this geography, floods are a natural hazard and a regular occurrence.

In order to better prepare residents, Bexar County officials implemented a High Water Detection System (HWDS) in 2007. The High Sierra Electronics, Inc. (HSE) system has evolved over the years and now includes more than 100 sites. It uses a combination of rainfall and water level gauges to monitor conditions at low points on the roadways. When water rises to a pre-determined unsafe level, the sensor(s) automatically trigger flashing beacons and/or barrier gates. The system is solar powered and works during power outages (i.e., extreme weather events). The system provides control even in remote locations and County officials can receive text or email alerts when the system is activated.

Bexar County Texas Macaway High Water Detection System (HWDS) by High Sierra Electronics, Inc.

 

Information from the HWDS feeds a Bexar County public web site known as HALT, High Water Alert Lifesaving Technology. The HALT system is a tool used to warn drivers when there is too much water over the roadway to help prevent a potential drowning disaster. The public is encouraged to visit https://www.bexarflood.org/#!/main/map where a map displays current flood information and emergency road closures. More specific information can be obtained by clicking (highlighting an area) on the map or entering a location. Alerts via a Twitter feed are also available.

Likewise, the City of San Antonio (within Bexar County) has implemented their own program known as SAFE, San Antonio Flood Emergency. The City emphasizes being prepared, being informed, being safe. They utilize HSE’s HWDS in the same manner with flashing beacons and automatic barrier gates. In neighboring Comal County, HSE was awarded a contract in 2010 for a similar project involving the installation of more than thirty stations. Plans are currently underway in coordination with the City of New Orleans’ Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP) to deploy 24 stations with flashing beacons in August 2018.

 

(1) NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2018). https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/

 

 

About High Sierra Electronics
High Sierra Electronics was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Grass Valley, California, with additional offices in San Antonio and Fort Worth, TX, and Louisville, KY. High Sierra specializes in flood warning sensors, equipment, and transmitters for public and improved traffic safety. For more information visit www.hsierra.com.

 

Vistage Recognizes James Logan with the 2018 Leadership Award

DENVER, CO, May 22, 2018 – Vistage, the world’s leading CEO peer-advisory organization, today announced that James Logan is the recipient of the Leadership Award. The Vistage Leadership Award honors members for their achievement in leadership. These members embody Vistage’s values of trust, caring, challenge and growth and make great decisions that benefit their companies, families and communities.

James Logan, award winner for Leadership, is CEO of OneRain (onerain.com) and High Sierra Electronics (HSE, hsierra.com), providers of software, instrumentation, and systems integration to the Water Resource Management, Flood Warning, Post-Wildfire Mitigation, and Road Weather industries. Through OneRain’s and HSE’s impactful work, federal, state, and local U.S. government agencies are able to safeguard the public from extreme rainfall, flood risks, dam failures, post-fire debris flows, and hazardous weather driving conditions. For example, in a matter of months after the recent Sonoma County Tubbs and Nuns deadly wildfires in California, OneRain and HSE facilitated the successful installation of a county-wide flood warning system.

Mr. Logan has been a member of Vistage since 2007. With the continued growth of OneRain and following the acquisition of High Sierra Electronics in 2016, James enrolled his next-level management team in Vistage. Today, the OneRain/HSE team has six members in Vistage. More recently, James is leading the newly-created Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings (AE Monitoring, aemonitoring.com) group with OneRain and HSE as its foundation companies. AE Monitoring was formed by Union Park Capital in 2018 to create a family of companies focused on monitoring critical environmental parameters, including meteorology, hydrology, air, and soil.

After learning of the award, James Logan said, “I am honored to receive this Leadership award. Vistage has given our next-generation leadership a common communication language which has been instrumental in helping us build a strong team and successful businesses that serve our core mission.”

“I have been impressed with the leadership and demonstrated success that James and his team have achieved since he joined my Vistage group six years ago.” said Bill Treadwell, Vistage Chair.

 

 

About OneRain Incorporated
OneRain Incorporated was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Longmont, Colorado, with additional offices in Australia and Germany. In August of 2016, OneRain’s owners acquired High Sierra to expand product offerings and strengthen their position in the weather safety market. OneRain and High Sierra both have in-house development and direct sales forces in the U.S. For more information visit www.onerain.com.

About High Sierra Electronics
High Sierra Electronics was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Grass Valley, California, with additional offices in San Antonio and Fort Worth, TX, and Louisville, KY. High Sierra specializes in flood warning sensors, equipment, and transmitters for public and improved traffic safety. For more information visit www.hsierra.com.

About AE Monitoring
Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings (AE Monitoring) was formed by Union Park Capital in 2018 to create a family of companies focused on monitoring of critical environmental parameters, including meteorology, hydrology, air, and soil. Social demands for environmental responsibility continue to increase, leading to growing initiatives and regulations for the development of environmental friendly industries, increased focus on disaster prevention and extreme weather (floods, hurricanes, droughts, thunderstorms, etc.), and advances in technology enabling real-time, more accurate monitoring in hazardous applications and environments.​ Learn more at aemonitoring.com.

About Vistage Worldwide, Inc.
Vistage Worldwide is an organization designed exclusively for high-integrity CEOs and executive leaders who are looking to drive better decisions and better results for their companies. Our members — 22,000 strong in more than 20 countries — gather in trusted, confidential peer advisory groups where they tackle their toughest challenges and biggest opportunities. Leveraging the Vistage platform, our members have demonstrated the ability to refine their instincts, improve their judgment, expand their perspectives and optimize decision-making. CEOs who joined Vistage in the past five years grew their companies 2.2 times faster than average small and midsize U.S. companies, according to a 2017 analysis of Dun & Bradstreet data. Learn more at Vistage.com.

Union Park Capital Announces Investment in OneRain and High Sierra Electronics

LONGMONT, CO – March 8, 2018. OneRain Incorporated (“OneRain”), Longmont, CO, and High Sierra Electronics, Inc. (“High Sierra”), Grass Valley, CA, are pleased to announce their entry into a new project with Union Park Capital (“Union Park”), a Boston-based private equity firm focused on lower middle-market industrial technology investments. OneRain and High Sierra will serve as the core platform in Union Park’s newly created Advanced Environmental Monitoring Holdings (“AE Monitoring”).

OneRain and High Sierra provide environmental monitoring systems and software to better understand and manage water-related missions and to protect lives and property. Since 1992, OneRain has helped shape the next generation of real-time hydrometeorological monitoring technology, allowing clients to optimize water management, heighten regulatory compliance, achieve successful civil works, and save lives. High Sierra, also founded in 1992, designs and manufactures systems to help identify threats posed by the weather, including flooding, dangerous road conditions, and vulnerable dams and levees. Together, with a focus on advanced technology and customer satisfaction, OneRain and High Sierra are leaders in flood warning, road weather safety, and water and wastewater management.

“We are thrilled to be joining the Union Park family,” says James Logan, who will remain as President of both OneRain and High Sierra. “As our relationship with Union Park developed, we quickly realized our vision for the future could not have been more aligned. Their strategy of keeping businesses operating autonomously and their willingness to allow us to continue to pursue our goals was very appealing. With the investment from Union Park, we’ll have the resources to expand our product and service capability for our customers.”

“James Logan and his team have done a fantastic job leading these two wonderful businesses,” notes Peter McGuire, Partner at Union Park Capital. “We have the utmost respect for what they have accomplished and could not be happier to have James continue at the helm of OneRain and High Sierra. It’s rare to find an organization with a combination of deep technical knowledge, product and service strength, and management capability. We look forward to helping these businesses grow and we are thrilled to begin the journey,” said Peter.

About OneRain Incorporated
OneRain Incorporated was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Longmont, Colorado, with additional offices in Australia and Germany. In August of 2016, OneRain’s owners acquired High Sierra to expand product offerings and strengthen their position in the weather safety market. OneRain and High Sierra both have in-house development and direct sales forces in the U.S. For more information visit www.onerain.com.

About High Sierra Electronics
High Sierra Electronics was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Grass Valley, California, with additional offices in San Antonio and Fort Worth, TX, and Louisville, KY. High Sierra specializes in flood warning sensors, equipment, and transmitters for public and improved traffic safety. For more information visit www.hsierra.com.

About Union Park Capital
Union Park Capital is a private equity firm solely focused on lower middle-market industrial technology companies. Union Park takes a long-term perspective to help stakeholders build value over time and drives value creation through profitably growing a business, not financial engineering. Union Park Capital is based in Boston, MA, and has extensive investments and expertise in the analytical instrumentation sector. For more information, visit www.union-park.com.

Fog Warning System for Illinois Power Plant

Fog is a Common Phenomenon at Illinois Power Plant

 

High Sierra Electronics completed the installation of  a visibility warning system at a power plant in southwest Illinois.

High Sierra Electronics and Traffic Control Corporation partnered together to solve an interesting problem at the Prairie State Energy Campus near Marissa, Illinois. When the conditions are right, localized dense fog forms along County Road 12 adjacent to the power plant. In many cases, the fog formation results because of added water vapor from the power plants steam vents. This causes low visibility and dangerous driving conditions for the public. It was decided that a warning system needed to be put in place to warn the traveling public to fog along the roadway.

The system designed uses a minimalist approach utilizing highly accurate and dependable equipment to provide a low cost system that will work for years to come. The warning system consists of six evenly spaced visibility sensor stations and two sign stations located on either end of the problem area along County Road 12.

The visibility sensor stations utilize the HSE Model 5434 visibility sensor to send a signal to the TCC provided radio when a low visibility threshold is met. An LED mounted to the bottom of each visibility sensor station cabinet alerts the system administrators which station triggered the alert. The solar system and flashing LED is controlled by HSE Model 5315-01 MPPT Solar Charger and Load Control.

The sign stations consist of a flashing beacon sign and a LED sign to warn motorists of fog conditions ahead.  A signal is sent to activate the sign stations when fog is present at any of the visibility sensor stations.

To learn more about the system described or if you have a similar application please contact High Sierra Electronics at 800-275-2080.

 

#fogwarningsystem #roadsafety #roadweather