Introduction
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama causing damage on scale never before witnessed in the affected area. Three weeks later, Hurricane Rita slammed into southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas causing extensive damage. The vast majority of the damage caused by the hurricanes was evident to even the most casual observer; however, these powerful hurricanes also inflicted unseen damage. Stationary battery systems throughout the affected area were over-discharged, many to total exhaustion, by the extended power failures caused by these storms. Hundreds of stationary batteries that survived the winds and waves of these hurricanes were destroyed by over-discharge or the lack of timely recharge.