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Be Ready for Severe Weather With a Safety Plan | SERVPRO® of Barron, Dunn & Rusk Counties
5/19/2022 (Permalink)
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If you discover storm damage to your home or business, reach out to SERVPRO of Barron, Dunn & Rusk Counties East right away.
When the climate is right, severe weather can be very powerful and frightening. The heavy rains, damaging winds, and large hail can be dangerous not only to your home, but also to yourself and your family.
Plus, considering that there are around 100,000 thunderstorms throughout the United States every year, severe weather happens frequently in the Midwest.
Wisconsin can be very susceptible to severe storms that develop quickly. With the flat “plains-like” topography of the midwest coupled with the humid and unstable summer air, these conditions put our area at a higher risk for bad weather.
While we all know that we cannot dictate the weather, we can be prepared for it. If you haven’t thought of your safety strategy in awhile, these tips are a good way to brush up on your plan.
Build an emergency kit, find a way to communicate with friends and family and make a plan for dealing with any potential damage afterwards. These few things can make all the difference during and after a storm.
You should always have a plan to communicate with your household members during severe weather season, and you should have access to your local news at all times to receive weather updates and alerts.
If you haven’t done so lately, now is the time to refresh your memory of the difference between watches and warnings. Knowing the difference can help you be sky-aware and ready to head for shelter when needed.
You should also have have multiple ways to receive updates from local personnel via a cell phone or telephone or a weather-specific radio.
Perhaps the most important plan to have is a a communication strategy for your family members. Make sure you have one central location in your house that will serve as your safe area, and that they are aware of how and when to get to it during severe weather.
If any household members were not home during the weather event, prioritize contacting them once you are safe to ensure that everyone is accounted for.
When packing your emergency kit, you should make sure that you have enough supplies to comfortably last 72 hours in your safe shelter area, and it should be stocked and ready to use at all times. You should include water for all members of your household, nonperishable food, flashlights with batteries and first-aid supplies.
You should also ensure that you have packed anything that your family may need to keep them comfortable while sheltering, like medication or extra eyeglasses/contacts.
Once you have determined that all members of your household are safe, it is time to review your safety plan and make any adjustments, as well as assess any damage on your property. Once the weather has cleared, check your property for damage.
Inspect the seals around your windows and doors, and do a thorough check around your home for new water spots. Water damage can silently creep into your home if you aren’t careful to check quickly after the storm.
If you do encounter any sort of storm damage, don’t panic. The best thing to do is to call us at SERVPRO of Barron, Dunn & Rusk Counties as soon as possible and we will start the process to restore your home and get you back to normal. Our passionate team of professionals will assess the damage and then take appropriate action to clean and restore quickly and efficiently.
When all is said and done, do a final reflection of your family’s safety plan. Discuss what worked, what could be improved on and restock your emergency kit. Any adjustments you do will benefit yourself and your family the next time severe weather hits western Wisconsin.
If you discover storm damage to your home or business, you can count on SERVPRO to handle the restoration. We’re here 24⁄7 to spring into action—get in touch with us today.