A universal system used to monitor external conditions, particularly including environmental conditions, to preemptively activate secondary power sources and isolate electric loads from a main power source such as an electric utility's power grid for the purpose of protecting the load from dangerous power conditions brought about by the external condition. The system includes a universal control module capable of communicating with a variety of external stimuli sensors and automatic transfer switches that switch a load's power source from one source to another upon activation, which results in the isolation of the load from the main (or another) power source.