Natural disasters in Illinois and how to prepare

12/20/2022 (Permalink)

When the announcement that a storm is headed your way comes across your TV, phone, or radio what do you plan to do? Violent storms can occur at any moment and anytime across the world. The most dangerous natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes are more likely to occur in the west coast of the United States, but the central part of the United States face disasters too. Occurrences such as severe storms, floods, tornadoes, winter storms, and power outages, etc. happen each year and anytime is a great time to prepare – to ensure yourself, your loved ones, your home, or business, are all ready to handle any potential damage that a storm may bring. 

“So how can I prepare now?”, you may ask. SERVPRO has provided for you tips and tricks of how to do so.

Businesses:

• SERVPRO of Moline/Rock Island encourages you to assemble a disaster preparedness team with a representative from each department to help
  • Establish vulnerabilities in each department to mitigate risks
  • Set up multiple locations to access documents to prevent loss
  • Backup documents and data
  • Organize a contact list of people within the company
  • Create evacuation plans
  • Establish a meeting place within or outside of the building for safety purposes
  • Relay the disaster preparedness plan to the staff
  • Test the preparedness, response, and recovery plans
• Have Thorough Communication
  • It’s important for employees in the business to know the order of operations for the preparedness, response, and recovery plan throughout the year. Striving to plan a staff meeting once every quarter will ensure everyone is in the loop with the plan, drills and protocols.
• Protect your Power and Electricity
  • Many natural disasters may cause power outages that shut down operations for prolonged periods. To mitigate risks, invest in a generator or an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system and surge protectors. Emergency power sources can help keep your business operational and prevent damage to electronic
• Have a Plan for Recovery
  • A plan for your business continuity is just as important as disaster preparedness and response plans. Be sure to have finances prepared for natural disasters. Make an appointment with your insurance agent to learn more about their commercial policy coverage, the amount offered, and your business’ Be sure to have coverage for incidents like water damage, tornado damages, and other business interruptions as well.
  • One of the biggest allies when it comes to natural disaster preparedness is having a cleaning and restoration services like those provided by SERVPRO. We are happy to serve. When a storm hits, know SERVPRO of Moline/Rock Island is here to help. SERVPRO is 24/7 with full-service capabilities.

Residents/Homeowners:

• SERVPRO of Moline/Rock Island encourages you to establish a family preparedness plan. Inform your family about the importance of knowing this by hosting a family meeting.
  • Explain what to do during each natural disaster occurrence
  • Give each household member a task that works with the overall family plan
  • Decide on what locations you all will meet in case a disaster strikes
  • Plan and discuss what to do during an evacuation
  • Plan how the family will communicate during a circumstance like this
  • Be sure to consider family member/s with disabilities and pets in the plan and adjust accordingly
• Identify Hazards
  • Clarify what types of disasters are likely to happen in our area
  • Learn about our community’s warning systems and signals (sirens, text messages, etc.)
  • Stay up to date about the weather and seasonal changes by watching the local news, listening to radio broadcasts, or looking at the weather forecast on your phone. 
  • Identify local humanitarian relief groups (Red Cross, Red Crescent, nonprofits, etc.)
  • Remain up to date on the disaster plans at your workplace, your children's school, and other places you all spend time together.
• Establish Plan
  • Get flood insurance. Homeowner’s insurance DOES NOT cover flood damages
  • Create a disaster supply kit that is easy to carry
  • Locate a safe place in the home for each disaster type
  • Determine the best evacuation routes from your home
  • Show each family member how and where to shut off utilities (gas, water, electricity)
  • Create an inventory list of the property and items in your home
  • Identify where the fire extinguisher is in the home and how to use it
  • Keep a list of emergency contact hung up in your home
• Test the Disasters Preparedness Plan
  • Practice your plan every four to six months
  • Check your kit every three to four months
  • Replace the water and food items every three months
  • Be sure to keep your emergency contact list up to date

Lastly, knowing what you are dealing with when it comes to storms is helpful as well. Do you know the difference between a storm warning and a storm watch?

Watch: Be prepared! Which means severe thunderstorms are likely to occur in the area and could last within a 4–6-hour window. During a watch, stay informed, be safe, and be ready to act if needed.

Warning: Take action! Which means severe weather conditions have been spotted or indicated on the radar. A warning will usually cover a city or smaller county. The duration of these is usually an hour. People within the hour should seek shelter immediately.