Flood Action Steps For Businesses

4/30/2018 (Permalink)

BEFORE A FLOOD

If an advanced Flood Warning has been issued, there are several precautions that can be taken to help minimize damage to certain areas of your business:

• Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so.
• Disconnect electrical equipment and appliances.
  Move vehicles out of low lying parking garages.
  Raise elevators from bottom floor.

AFTER A FLOOD:

SAFETY FIRST

•  Account that all employees are safe by establishing evacuation plans in advance, identifying areas outside the building that are designated meeting places. Assign select individuals to keep a list of their assigned team’s names and contact numbers in order to account for their whereabouts.
•  If water enters the building and evacuation becomes impossible, move to an upper floor, and wait for rescuers.
•  While evacuating, avoid attempting to drive through floods or rising water, nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are auto-related.
•  Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
•  Do not walk through moving water. Even six inches of moving water can make you fall.
•  Use no open flames (there may be gas escaping from ruptured mains).
•  Avoid floodwaters. Water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline or raw sewage.

Water may also be electrically charged.

•  Stay out of any building if it is surrounded by flood waters.
•  Listen for news reports to learn if the community’s water supply is safe to drink.
•  Return only when authorities indicate it is safe.

SECURE THE PROPERTY

• Contact local emergency officials.
• Secure main entrances to building.
• Alert Security company and Alarm company of the situation.

STABILIZE THE PROPERTY

• Shut off the source of water if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source.
• Give priority to the protection of power plant and fire pumps, keeping them in service if at all possible.
• Open basement or low-level windows to equalize water pressure on the building’s foundation and walls.
• Begin water damage mitigation steps only if local emergency officials deem the structure safe to enter.
• Notify your insurance agent or Risk Manager to determine insurance policy guidelines and steps to take.

SERVPRO®

• Contact SERVPRO® of Fernandina Beach/Yulee to activate your Emergency READY Profile, if applicable, and request service.
• Ensure availability of key decision maker to authorize mitigation work to begin.