By Rob Fanjoy
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently announced that it believes a "very active" hurricane season is looming for the Atlantic Coast. And for residents and builders still trying to deal with the damage from last year's hurricanes, that could spell a whole heap of unwanted trouble.
An average season produces about 11 named storms, of which six typically become hurricanes (two major ones). The prediction for this year warns of 13 to 16 named storms, with eight to 10 becoming hurricanes. Four to six could become major hurricanes of Category Three or higher.
"The NOAA report should put all people up and down the Atlantic Coast—builders and residents alike—on the alert," says Edie Ousley, spokeswoman for the Florida Home Builders Association. "Preparation now can make a huge difference when a storm bears down later on."
Business back-up
Contractors should make copies of all important business records, keep the originals in a very safe place and have at least one electronic copy of everything, according to Ken Ford, code specialist dealing with mitigation and disaster response for the National Association of Home Builders. "This makes it much easier to get financial assistance immediately after a storm," says Ford.
Ford also advises that contractors make provisions for jump-starting an office once the storm passes. If your original office is damaged, you may have to set up a temporary office in a trailer or other vacant space until repairs can be done.
Ousley also advises that now is a good time to make sure all your insurance policies are up to date and your coverage is more than adequate on your tools and equipment.
Ford advises that contractors stock up on emergency repair materials, such as tarps, plywood, fasteners, plastic sheeting, strapping, concrete blocks and the like for performing temporary repairs immediately after a storm.
"Have a decent amount of cash on hand as well," says Ford. "ATM machines and credit cards won't work until the power is restored after a storm, so plan for a few days of cash-only transactions."
Ousley says that contractors should be prepared to batten down all job sites well in advance of a storm, too. "You should secure all loose debris and materials, including lashing down lumber and plywood piles and storing all other material in a job site trailer or inside the building, if possible," says Ousley. "And don't forget to remove all permit boards and signage, as they will be flying around like missiles during a storm."
Maintaining communication
"It's a great thing for builders to have a system in place to act immediately after a storm," says Ousley. "You should be able to check the status of all your employees and be able to start planning to get out there quickly and help."
Ford says that satellite phones may be a good bet for this, as cell phones and landlines seldom work right after a hurricane. He also adds that you should not only have a system in place for contacting employees but your trade contractors and clients as well. "Have a client list and give them all a way to reach you after a storm," says Ford.
Both Ford and Ousley stress that contractors should work with their local HBAs to spread the word about shady contractors looking to take advantage of people in a desperate situation.
"Contractors and tradespeople should coordinate with their local HBAs to provide efficient action plans for dealing with the aftermath of severe storms," says Ford. "The main thing is, it's important to get back out as soon as possible. Contractors have the equipment and knowledge to be a huge help immediately following a hurricane, and it's good for the builders, their crews and the community to get right back to work."
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