June 1 marks the start of hurricane season for those working and living along the Gulf Coast. As a business owner or property manager, time is spent preparing for hurricane season. Some tasks should be completed annually to minimize the workload for the business owner during hurricane season.
- Contact your insurance company and review your policy related to your investment properties.
- Communicate with all tenants regarding hurricane preparations and expectations.
- Assess your current property or properties with an inspection.
- Maintain an itemized list of business items including computers, equipment, inventory, and other valuables that could be lost in a storm.
- Perform a backup on all your computers and other electronically stored files.
- Gather necessary supplies.
- Trim branches and remove debris.
- Assess and plan for storage of smaller outdoor items.
- Create a plan to work remotely during and after the storm as needed.
- Serve the community.
Contact your insurance company and review your policy related to your investment properties.
Insurance agents will review the current policy and explain the process in the event of a storm.
Communicate with all tenants regarding hurricane preparations and expectations.
Communication with tenants regarding hurricane preparations helps in the event of a natural disaster. Communicate to tenants that they should:
- check their insurance plan for hurricane coverage,
- itemize their belongings in storage, and
- store items off the ground when possible.
Communicate what preparation is provided by the business.
Assess your current property or properties with an inspection.
Did you know you can check for potential flood zones?
Here’s a handy tool from FEMA that may assist you in determining this.
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search
Enter your address and find out your risk of flooding.
Next, consider a building inspection. Hiring an inspector can save you money, time, and frustration. An inspector will assess the potential for wind and other damage to your property. They can also recommend specific ways to protect your windows and doors from damage.
Maintain an itemized list of business property including computers, equipment, inventory, and other valuables that could be lost in a storm.
This itemized list will be necessary for the insurance company to assess property loss and damages. This file should include photos of all property on the business premises.
Perform a backup on all your computers and other electronically stored files.
If you have cloud storage, the business files should be accessible and secure. If you use local file storage, you’re at risk of losing files if the computers are lost in a storm. Regular data backup is necessary. This should be part of a scheduled maintenance calendar and performed frequently. All hard copies of vital business documents should be kept in a safe, waterproof, fireproof location.
Gather necessary supplies.
Start gathering and storing storm supplies. Sandbags, plywood to cover windows, screws, nails, hammers, and other items can easily be stored until needed. Order empty sandbags and prepare to fill them when needed. Empty sandbags store well for a long time. Plywood sheets to cover any windows can be hard to find once a storm is on the way. Measure and get it in advance along with any supplies for hanging. Whatever your specific business needs, set a budget, make a list, and go shopping today. Don’t wait for a storm.
Trim branches and remove debris.
The next step is to assess and perform landscape work to ensure falling branches will not harm your structure. Your inspection should have revealed any trees or shrubs to remove. Start there and trim back anything that poses a risk.
Assess and plan for storage of smaller outdoor items.
Assess your property for all items that could become airborne in a storm. Think of things like flowerpots, planters, trash bins, tables, chairs, benches, or any supplies you provide to tenants.
Remote Work Plan
Depending on the type of property you own, being operational when possible is helpful to your community and your tenants.
Things to consider:
- Internet access
- Data access (files stored on a server that can be accessed remotely)
- Emergency phone or radio access
- Electricity or backup power
How can I serve my community?
Community outreach is important during difficult times. If you were able to stock up on water or other supplies ahead of the storm, be prepared to share with the community in need and use it as a tax deduction in some states. (Be sure to check with your CPA.) Contact a local food vendor who can set up outside your business and offer food. Restaurants may not be able to open, but a food truck might be operational. Look for ways to ease the burden on your community.
Contact your local emergency management office in advance of a storm and offer your business assistance after the storm. Your parking lot can make items easily accessible to residents from emergency management staff.
At Coastal Storage, we work with investors to find the best properties available. Call us today at 904-591-0140 to speak with our team of experts about finding your next self-storage investment.