Stay Ahead of the Storm: 3 Tips to Increase Your Storm preparedness

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Major storms can wreak havoc on businesses and residences for days, weeks, months and sometimes, even years.
Protecting yourself and your property is vital when it comes to storm preparedness, which needs to begin long before a major weather event actually arrives. If you haven’t properly planned in advance, you could risk extreme financial loss or even worse, it could cost you your life.
There may not be a way to completely avoid damage or disruption, but there are steps you can take to plan ahead. Spring storm preparedness is particularly important, as this is when some of the country’s worst tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms, tsunamis, flooding, and wind damage can occur.
Follow these three tips to increase your residential or commercial storm preparedness this season.

Know your Geographic Area

If you’ve lived or operated a business in a state that is historically prone to storms, it may be second nature to plan ahead. However, if you’re new to a location, you may not know the actual risk.
For example, states such as Texas and Florida have communities that reside along the Gulf Coast of the U.S. Federal agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) consider these areas to be at very high risk when it comes to hurricanes. More than 19 major hurricanes have directly hit Texas and 35 have hit Florida. If you live in one of these states, or others in potentially dangerous areas, the first and most important step of storm preparedness should be to know your evacuation zone and local disaster preparedness plan.
There are also some surprising facts regarding major storms, such as tornadoes. Studies have found that areas such as central Oklahoma, Arkansas, parts of Louisiana, and other states have the greatest tornado risk.
If your area is at risk of encountering tornadoes, take the time to make specific tornado preparations.

Create a storm preparedness plan.

Depending on the type(s) of storms that Mother Nature may bring to your area, your unique storm preparedness plan may be specific to each weather event. However, every list should include the following measures so you and your residents or staff are offered maximum protection:

• Direct access to emergency alerts, warnings, and alarms.
• Traditional and digital copies of evacuation routes, emergency contingency plans, communication plans, shelter plans, and updated contact information for every resident or employee.
• Emergency protocols for extended power loss and/or operational disruption.
• Specific needs for your household or business (e.g., medical and dietary needs, disabilities, language barriers, etc.)

Training and drills for emergency preparations should be done on a reoccurring basis ahead of a storm. Additionally, you should precede your plan with as much building protection as possible. Make sure your insurance is updated to reflect the type of coverage you will need for major storm events in your area.
If damage were to occur, this would include coverage so experts in disaster mitigation, reconstruction, and capital improvements could restore your property.

Compile a storm preparedness kit.

Spring storm preparedness in certain parts of the U.S. may require additional items, but generally, a resource kit with these items can be compiled to assist in any storm. It should be reviewed on an annual basis, and may include consumer items such as:

• First-aid supplies.
• Water.
• Non-perishable food.
• Blankets.
• Sanitary supplies and toiletries.
• Battery operated or hand-cranked alert and communication devices (a NOAA weather radio, emergency phones/two-way radios).
• Battery supplies.
• Flashlights and camp lights.
• Basic tools.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that kits now incorporate additional supplies to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, other viruses, and the flu.
Your storm preparedness kit should also include contingency supplies to maintain the structure of your buildings and power:

• Plywood sheets to cover windows, doors, and openings.
• Sandbags or weather-specific bracing.
• Backup generators.

Before the storm, you can attempt to avoid further damage by removing excess tree branches, securing outdoor patio furniture, bringing any vehicles into garages, and securing all entryways.

Storm Restoration Experts

Even the most prepared residences and businesses can be impacted by the power of a major storm. If you experience damage and need expert assistance, Unified Disaster Resources (UDR) will be there for you every step of the way. We’ll help to restore and improve your property, from initial mitigation, to assisting you with business continuity efforts. Whether you operate a multi-family complex in Oklahoma, a commercial property in Texas, or an industrial facility in Florida, we serve you with quality and compassionate customer service. Contact us today for more information or in the case of an emergency, call us toll-free at 855-878-6434.