When Disaster Strikes: What do to Before Help Arrives

It’s human nature to panic when disasters strike.  Those called upon to ensure the safety and security of property units and their residents/tenants, have the all-important task of staying calm and acting swiftly in a time of crisis.  It is during these times that having both a strategic disaster plan in place and a partnership with a trusted restoration company is vital to restoration efforts.

However, there is often a waiting period before restoration specialists can arrive onsite.  Here are a few tips to minimize loss, mitigate risk and protect your most important assets:  

1. Secure the building and/or contained affected areas.
2. Identify safety hazards and tape off/cone area to ensure no-one enters.
3. Shut off and/or stabilize utilities such as gas, water and electric.
4. Start water extraction, if possible.
5. Relocate contents to prevent further damage.
6. Take photos of affected items for your records and for the insurance company.

In any loss situation it’s important to make sure any non-certified personnel are staying safe and not putting themselves in danger. Often times people feel the need to step up to the plate to act as the hero, but it’s important to take control of the situation and know that help is on its way.

Working in tandem with a restoration partner is helpful to cover all your bases and ensure the issue is effectively remediated and safe for residents and employees.  This partnership creates an important check and balance system to ensure the job was done correctly and protects you from litigation. Overall, being prepared for any disaster situation is of the utmost importance in protecting your property, its residents and staff.   It is critical to regularly review and update your disaster plan to ensure efficiency in a crisis and partner with local resources to effectively address any type of disaster – from fire and smoke to water loss to mold remediation.  Taking the time to put best practices in place will help ensure the swift action needed to get your property in good working order once again.  If you need help developing a plan, or reviewing your current one, call us at 833.4RESCON.