In the Eye of a Hurricane

5/9/2022 (Permalink)

If your commercial property is affected by the aftermath of a hurricane, call the pros at SERVPRO.

With National Hurricane Preparedness Week ending yesterday, we thought it would be nice to do a recap for how to prepare your business for inclement weather, specifically for a hurricane. The National Weather Service provides many insights and resources for how to prepare for a hurricane. Typically in the Kanawha and Putnam Counties of West Virginia, we don't have damage from the hurricane, but rather from the storms that linger after the fact. These storms can bring extreme winds and flooding to Kanawha and Putnam Counties.

In this blog, we will talk specifically about how your business can be prepared for a hurricane. First things first, speaking with your insurance agent and knowing your policy is imperative preparation before any storm event. Keep your business’ insurance documentation with you and consider adding flood insurance to your current plan.

Much like having a fire evacuation plan, every business should have an evacuation plan specifically for in the event of a hurricane. When developing an evacuation plan for your business, the first step is finding out if your commercial building is located in a hurricane evacuation zone. If you are, have a bag readily available of supplies in case you and your employees need to evacuate. When assembling your disaster supplies, be sure that there is enough food and water for each person for at least three days. Radios, batteries, and phone chargers are all things you should have with your supplies. If a hurricane is set to hit your area, follow the evacuation orders given by reputable sources and plan several routes.

If there are senior citizens or disabled persons living near your business, consider checking on them and helping them prepare for the hurricane. Help them evacuate if they don’t have anyone else assisting them and check in on them after the storm. Last, but of course not least, have a plan for your pets as well.

And, of course, if your business suffers damage from the aftermath of a hurricane, give us a call. We have trained professionals that specialize in remediation for commercial properties!