Hurricane Preparedness Week

5/10/2021 (Permalink)

Water floods a home and pools at the bottom of a staircase.

May 9^th to the 15^th is Hurricane Preparedness Week. While hurricanes do not often hit New England, when they do, they can be deadly and costly. Hurricane Bob made landfall in Massachusetts on August 19, 1991, causing 18 deaths and $2.5 billion in damage. Hurricane Irene took the life of 9 New Englanders and left thousands without power in August of 2011. Massachusetts and Rhode Island sustained power outages, flooding, and wind gusts over 70 mph in October of 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy. SERVPRO of Lexington, Bedford, Waltham, Weston, Wayland, and Watertown was proud to respond to those in need during Hurricane Sandy. Here are five steps to prepare for extreme weather:

1. Know Your Risks – figure out what types of wind and water hazards could happen where you live and how to prepare for them. Although coastal communities are usually the most affected, impacts can be felt hundreds of miles inland. Create an emergency plan for your family that includes emergency meeting places in your home, neighborhood, and surrounding areas.
2. Build An Emergency Kit – have access to food, water, cash, medicine, and phone chargers. Keeping a kit at work, in your car, and at home can keep you prepared for any emergency at any time.
3. Review and Gather Documents – review your insurance policies for your home, boat, and car. Be sure you have enough coverage to repair or replace your belongings. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding – check if flood insurance is available as soon as possible as it usually requires a 30-day waiting period.
4. Be Informed and Have a Plan – sign up for phone alerts and get the FEMA app to be informed of any extreme weather approaching your area. Have an evacuation plan ready that accounts for pets and remove you from the evacuation area.
5. Strengthen Your Home – if you do not live in an evacuation area and plan to weather the storm in your home, be sure it is up to date on repairs and up to local hurricane building code specifications. Trim trees and board up windows to prevent debris from potentially flying into your home.

If you experience flooding at your home, SERVPRO of Lexington, Bedford, Waltham, Weston, Watertown, and Wayland is on call 24/7/365 to respond. Our highly trained team of technicians has advanced techniques and equipment to handle any water damage situation making it "Like it never even happened."