Generator permit requests are rising after repeated outages in Lakewood, Ohio, as residents seek backup power. Fire officials urge licensed setup and transfer switches to prevent back-feeding that can endanger grid workers; exhaust can cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
Lakewood Fire Marshal Ryan Birth said a licensed contractor can determine the right generator size for a home and check that the transfer switch works. Officials also said generators must be placed so exhaust disperses and should never be operated in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces.
Spectrum News reported that FirstEnergy has installed one new generator and expects another to be operating by the end of 2026; both are coming online months earlier than planned. Despite promised electrical-system improvements, Lakewood is seeing more generator permit applications.
