How Cummins Powered the Frontlines of Healthcare

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the stakes in healthcare were higher than ever and for backup power systems, the potential for failure simply was not an option. Senior Sales Application Engineer, Earnest Glaser said it best: "Hospitals and health care providers already carry immense responsibility – ensuring uninterrupted power means they can focus on what matters most: saving lives.”

With nearly 40 years of experience and firsthand insight into how hospitals and emergency facilities rely on mission-critical power, Glaser offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Cummins Inc. supported essential infrastructure when it mattered most. From navigating supply chain disruptions to ensuring field technicians had clearance to reach and assist customers, the company’s role went far beyond planned equipment maintenance.

“Our customers counted on us to keep the power on, no matter what,” Glaser said. “We had teams working around the clock to solve problems, deliver parts, and support critical facilities facing new challenges every day.”

As the pandemic put unprecedented strain on healthcare systems, reliability became a matter of life-or-death. Hospitals were adapting rapidly to build out COVID wards, implement precautionary protections including negative pressure ventilation systems all while responding to unpredictable patient volumes. In many cases, the existing power infrastructure had to meet new demands without missing a beat.

As everyone adapted to remote work and scaled back nonessential operations, healthcare facilities had to press on, and Cummins remained a constant presence behind the scenes. Teams prioritized hospitals and elder care centers, ensuring that essential systems stayed online.

“Rarely have we ever had an instance where Cummins could not put boots on the ground in front of a problem the same day,” said Glaser. “Whether it’s a local technician supported by experts remotely, or a team coordinating solutions in real time, we show up when it’s needed.”

The pandemic may have strained healthcare systems in unprecedented ways, but for Cummins, it reaffirmed a long-standing truth: mission-critical power can’t falter, especially when lives are on the line. Whether it's during a global crisis or routine operations, Cummins continues to deliver dependable power solutions backed by decades of expertise, a dedicated workforce and a commitment that never powers down.

Explore more about how Cummins is powering essential industries at www.cummins.com/generators/healthcare.