Whether you are located directly on the coast or farther inland, hurricanes and other tropical storms pose a serious threat to businesses. A professional Storm Preparedness Services company can provide a comprehensive plan that addresses all areas of your business to help ensure your doors stay open during and after a severe weather event. In addition, they can provide emergency communication services to inform employees of the latest information from national and local authorities on evacuations, work from home arrangements and other relevant guidance.
The best way to assist families during and after a hurricane is to prevent the need for an evacuation by preparing their homes in advance. This includes advising them on the proper evacuation procedures for their community, informing them of state and local evacuation routes and ensuring that they have adequate supplies at home (i.e. water, food, flashlights and tools) to last at least three days.
It is also important to review the family’s current emergency communication protocols (i.e. text, voice calls, and email) and ensure that everyone has a “go-bag” ready to leave their homes at a moment’s notice. A program should also encourage families to check with their insurance agents to make sure that their homes are properly insured and that they have the correct coverage for any flooding, as damage from flood waters is usually not covered by normal homeowner’s insurance policies.
In addition, the storm season is a great time for programs to help families understand and implement minor mitigation improvements that can greatly reduce the amount of damage their properties sustain during a hurricane or other severe weather events. For example, installing shutters and other protective measures in the home, cleaning drains and gutters to reduce water flow into buildings and ensuring that garbage containers are securely stored are all simple things that can greatly reduce the risk of property damage.
As the hurricane season approaches, Direct Relief staff remain in continuous contact with partners and government agencies in communities in a storm’s path, assessing needs and ensuring that any hurdles to providing aid can be quickly cleared. Additionally, Direct Relief continues to distribute and replenish its stock of pre-positioned hurricane preparedness packs and modules to health centers and clinics that will jump-start disaster response efforts when a hurricane threatens.
It is important for all people, especially children and teens, to know what to do if a hurricane is approaching. The American Red Cross has created a comprehensive guide that provides tips on how to prepare and protect your home, including creating an emergency communications plan. The guide also provides steps for keeping track of updates from the National Hurricane Center and explains how to read a forecast. It also provides a list of essential supplies to have on hand, including medical supplies and items to address special needs like infant formula and a first aid kit. The guide can be downloaded here. In addition to this, the Red Cross has a mobile app called Hurricane Alert that provides real-time alerts and information about local resources.North Bay Tree Company
41 Lakeshore Dr.
North Bay, Ontario P1A 2A1