Based on how difficult it can be to start my chain-saw, snow-blower, and motorcycle after they've sat without being run for a while, I'd not recommend a gasoline-powered engine to be the only thing on stand-by.
Air compressors in adverse environments don't hold up that well either, without basic maintenance. I've had engines run seasonally for decades. It doesn't take much for them to keep working well, though doing nothing at all is an easy way to clog up the carburator.
Compressor pistons/screws that ingest grit/dirt, or aren’t run often enough to boil the water out of them, also tend to not last long. I used to help run a volunteer workshop with an Atlas Copco screw compressor, and it died in a few years because it wasn’t being run hard enough and the screws rusted (doh!).
It shouldn't be that bad. A little fogging oil when put away and drain all the fuel. Then a little starting fluid on the first couple start attempts. Usually they start fairly quickly if they're in decent shape. And that's just for pull starts. My electric start mower starts right up after even 5 months of not running with stabilizer in the fuel.
