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SERVPROSERVPRO of Georgetown and Horry Counties
Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration™
(843) 236-6278

Be Prepared For Any Emergency

6/27/2016 (Permalink)

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When disaster threatens a community, it is often too late to take the necessary steps to prepare homes, businesses and family members for the situation. Whether it's a blizzard, flood, hurricane or wildfire, disasters of all types often give little to no warning before they strike. The time to prepare for a storm is not as it approaches-the time to prepare is now. Inside this newsletter, you will find tips and information to help you be better prepared when severe weather strikes, including a list of items needed to create an emergency supply kit. No matter what part of the country you call home, we want to ensure you are prepared for any type of disaster. Whether you have damage caused by a hurricane, tornado, flash flood, or any other reason, your local SERVPRO® Franchise Professionals have the resources, experience and training to help get your home back in order or your doors reopened for business as soon as possible. 

In 2013, there were more than 440 weather-related fatalities and nearly 2,800 injuries. Deadly weather caused more
than $8 billion in property damage. Knowing your risk of severe weather, taking action, and being an example are just a few
steps you can take to be better prepared to save your life and assist in saving the lives of others.  

Know Your Risk. The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where

you live and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly, obtain a NOAA Weather Radio, and learn about Wireless Emergency Alerts. Severe weather comes in many forms and your shelter plan should include all types of local hazards.

  • A weather radio is the most reliable source for weather alerts. It is designed to alert you to dangerous weather situations such as an approaching tornado, allowing you to be warned ahead of approaching storms providing time to seek shelter. In 2012, a new nationwide text emergency alert system was launched, called Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). The WEA system is a huge step toward keeping our nation informed in crisis situations, however it does not alleviate the need to own weather radios. The new WEA system relies on cell towers to send alerts-if cell towers are knocked out during bad weather or are no longer sending a signal, you will not receive alerts. Television and radio broadcasts can also go down during a destructive event. Having a back-up such as a weather radio is critical to ensure you still receive information in the event media outlets can no longer broadcast or you are unable to receive the broadcast.
  • When selecting a weather radio, ensure it includes SAME alert programming-sounds an alert only when specific counties are threatened (allowing you to only receive alerts for your county) and review-able alerts (allowing you to turn off alerts you do not want to hear).
  • Contact your local National Weather Service Office for assistance programming your weather radio, or for additional information, including county codes for your state, visit the NOAA Weather Radio website at www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr. 

    • Take Action. Take the next step in severe weather preparedness by creating a communications plan for your home or business. Put together or purchase an emergency kit. Keep important papers and valuables in a safe place.

    Be an Example. Once you have taken action to prepare for severe weather, share your story with co-workers and family and friends on Facebook or Twitter. Your preparedness story will inspire others to do the same. 

    Preparation is the key to making it through any size disaster and having a plan in place may help minimize the amount of time your home or business is inactive and get you back in the structure faster following a disaster. Don't wait until disaster strikes. Call your local SERVPRO® Franchise Professional to establish an Emergency READY Profile® for your home or business and be "Ready for whatever happens."

    Wildfire Safety Tips

  • Clear leaves and other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks. Remove dead vegetation from under your deck and within 10 feet of the house. This prevents embers from igniting your home.
  • Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches. Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris from accumulating.
  • Ensure flammable materials (firewood stacks, propane tanks, dry vegetation) are more than 30 feet from your home or business's foundation and outbuildings.
  • Wildfire can spread to treetops. If you have trees on your property, prune so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet from the ground.
  • Keep your lawn hydrated and maintained. If it is brown, cut it down to reduce fire intensity. Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire.

    • Tips and information provided by the National Fire Protection Association's Firewise® program. 

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