Vancouver film industry supplier offering battery power for hospital equipment

Portable Electric has announced that it will shift the production of its battery products to provide life-saving battery electricity for healthcare equipment.

The Vancouver-based company typically uses its VOLTstack product to power film productions and high-end film equipment, but with film and television productions around the world coming to a temporary halt due to COVID-19, they have been able to diversify the end users of their products.

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A single portable VOLTstack can be used to power multiple ventilators over 24 hours, and could be particularly useful for the equipment power needs of temporary mobile clinics, and isolation and quarantine areas. They can be used in any location, both indoors and outdoors, in close proximity to hospital workers and patients.

Their modified products for medical uses will see heightened engineering and manufacturing to ensure the highest quality and most reliable uninterruptible power supply.

“We know from experience that, in a crisis, power is not always the first thing people think of – until it’s not there, or not reliable. Then it is critical,” said Mark Rabin, founder and CEO of Portable Electric, in a statement.

“The reality is that in a crisis you need reliability. Our product is built to the highest spec and for the toughest industries… We know it will help during this critical and challenging time.”

The company has indicated it is actively discussing its power equipment with healthcare authorities across the Pacific Northwest, and has engaged its distributor network in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City.

In 2018, it sent a truckload of VOLTstack units and solar panels to Hurricane Florence relief efforts.