DISASTER PLANNING TIPS:

Disasters come in endless varieties - sewage backflows, lightning strikes, earthquakes, wind damage, fire and hurricanes or even burst pipes.  Whatever the cause, everything stops - abruptly. 

The Restoration Industry Association (formerly ASCR) has compiled this list of things to keep in mind when preparing your home or office for general emergencies: 

• Ask yourself: If you had to leave your home or business for three weeks, what would you wish that you had done? 
• Inspect every area and assess its vulnerability to water.  Water is almost always a factor in disasters, whether from fire suppression, roof damage, plumbing failures, chemical spills or earth tremors, even when the damage originates on a remotely higher floor.  Nothing but furniture and durable equipment should be stored directly on the floor.  Paper records and items are instant casualties. 
• Desk and table tops are vulnerability to water from sprinklers or runoff from higher floors, as well as to smoke and heat damage.  Make sure important papers and files are put away in a filing cabinet or drawer.
• Take photos of each room in your house or apartment, save them to a CD and print hard copies. I like to use the panorama mode as well. Keep one set to take with you and a second set off site (e.g., safe deposit box, relative's home).  This gives you a digital inventory of the major contents in your house and what they looked like prior to water or fire damage. 
• Back up your computers and keep the information where it's easily accessible in an evacuation as well as at an offsite location.  (This is particularly important for people who work from home.)
• Businesses should maintain a moderate stock of emergency supplies.  A few dozen plastic tarps, a couple of wet-pickup vacuums with wands and floor attachments, and a few floor squeegees provide a primary level of protection at a moderate cost.  A case of absorbent wipes can also be useful.  Rapid response  is the key to damage control.  The ability to swiftly deploy tarps over computers, productions equipment, file cabinets and other critical components can dramatically curtail the extent of damage. 
• If you have advance warning of peril, charge cell phones, laptops, PDAs, etc. in case your're without electricity for a few days. 
• Keep a solar powered charger handy

Items to keep in your emergency kit or gather during an evacuation if possible:

• Insurance Information - health & homeowner
  
• Family photos, irreplaceable mementos/jewelry
• Digital inventory CD and printout
• Wallet, checkbook and credit cards
• Canned goods, baby food & food for pets
• Can opener/multi-purpose tool/sharp knife
• Bottled water, MREs, water purification tablets
• Work gloves & boots
• Water proof matches & candles
• Transistor radio, flashlight & extra batteries
• Duct tape, electrical tape
• Toiletries, toilet paper, feminine products, diapers, wipes
• First aid kit
• Cell phone, laptop & car chargers. Get a solar phone charger
  
• Extra clothing (i.e., socks, underwear)
• Sleeping bag
• Address book, paper, pens
• Medication & prescriptions
• Extra batteries

DO'S & DON'TS:

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 DO'S

• If NO RISK of electrical shock, turn off the circuit breakers to the wet areas.  Unplug and remove electrical devices located on wet floor covering or other wet surfaces.
  

•  Do remove and secure as many small furniture items as possible to minimize rust or stains and expedite restoration.
  

•  Do place aluminum foil under legs of wood furniture, especially antiques to protect furniture and prevent staining the carpet.
  

•  Do hang draperies and pinup furniture skirts if possible to prevent contact with wet floor coverings, minimize damage such as watermarks, browning, and dye transfer.
  

• Do remove books, shoes, paper goods, fabrics, potted plants, or other items that may stain the carpet.  Check under beds and in closets.
  

•  Do remove and secure breakables, moisture sensitive or high value items.
  

•   Do make plans for restoration crew to remove the large furniture items  from affected areas
  

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DON'TS

• Don’t place newspaper on wet surfaces.  Newspaper ink easily transfers to other surfaces.

• Don’t use your home or wet/dry vac – electrical shock could result.
  

•  Don’t walk on wet surfaces any more than necessary in order to minimize safety hazards and to keep from spreading damage and contaminants.
  

•  Don’t activate your heating or air conditioning system if it has been in direct contact with water or especially sewage.  It may spread contamination.
  

• Don’t adjust the indoor temperature unless instructed to do so by a qualified restoration technician.
  

•  Don’t enter an area that has standing water or sewage.  Potential electrical shock and contamination could occur.

ASK TO SEE CREDENTIALS:

Unfortunately you have suffered a water, fire or smoke loss and now you are waiting for the restoration company to show up to save the day and help return your home or office back to the same condition it was in before the untimely event that forced you to call in the cavalry.

Read along as we discuss some things to consider before you throw yourself at the mercy of the technician. There is more to solving your needs than a shiny truck and a bright smile. Ask to see the technicians credentials. At the bare minimum the technician should be able to demonstrate that he/she has been certified in Water Damage Restoration. This is as simple as asking the technician to show you his/her IICRC card. The IICRC is the worlds most recognized body of Restoration and Cleaning (www.iicrc.org). In addition to Water Damage Restoration their IICRC card will list all the certifications the technician has achieved such as Applied Microbial Remediation, Fire & Smoke Restoration, Odor Control and Applied Structural Drying. Along with the IICRC card ask to see their Lead-Based Paint Certification which is issued by the EPD.