FEATURE ARTICLE, OCTOBER 2006

MANAGING THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
With the right disaster plan, property management companies will be prepared to weather a hurricane.
Tim Walter

After a hurricane, returning a property to full functionality as quickly and safely as possible is the ultimate goal of any property management team. It is important for every member of the team to understand the steps and precautions necessary to achieve this.

There are several aspects of a comprehensive action plan. By focusing on key areas such as planning, staffing, assignment of duties, training, storm tracking and disaster recovery, it is possible to build a secure foundation upon which to ride out the unpredictable hurricane season.

Planning

The plan, no matter how detailed, must be in writing. This makes following the outlined steps much easier for the team charged with executing said plan. The document should be broad and all-inclusive and also be flexible as situations may dictate change. Insurance and property information are crucial components of the written plan. Be sure that everyone on the team has a hard copy, and that others who have company clearance outside the impacted zone can access the file if power sources are cut during a storm.

Each member of the team should be equipped with an emergency preparedness kit prior to June 1 of the current year, when the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins. Kits are available from the Red Cross for approximately $65 each. These lightweight, durable must-haves are easily manageable and come as a backpack stocked with a battery powered flashlight, battery powered radio, emergency blanket, food bars, work gloves, three light sticks (one lasts 12 hours), six moist towelettes, breathing mask, plastic sheeting (10'x10'), rain poncho, personal First-Aid kit (41 pieces), roll of duct tape, water (2 quarts), water container (2.5 gallon), whistle, and a First-Aid/Preparedness Instruction booklet.

Establish an in-case-of-emergency payroll plan. Print and laminate hard copies for short-term use. Purchase disposable cameras to use for documenting property damage. Obtain and store non-perishable food and fresh water. Be certain to turn off all natural gas supplies and fill your vehicles’ gas tanks. Secure enough cash to last until electrical power can be restored and ATM’s are back online. Map out evacuation routes for the entire area that may fall in harm’s way. Develop a site-damage assessment form to be included in the kits. Most communities, such as Charleston, South Carolina, maintain an Emergency Response team that works from a central command post before, during and after a disaster. Know how to contact the command post, and consider training a staff person to volunteer at the site during a storm.

In today’s world, intellectual property can be just as critical as tangible property. Be sure to take measures for storing, protecting and backing up all electronic data. Having a copy saved in an inland location is a good idea.

Update the plan annually to include changes in procedures and personnel.

Staffing and Assignment of Duties

Assign a plan coordinator to implement the strategy. Establish a meeting site for those riding out the storm, and keep an updated phone tree so that those in and out of the affected area can reach each other. The command post should be structurally secure, located away from rising floodwaters, and potentially highly accessible after the storm. All emergency supplies will be stocked in this location.

Training

Choose personnel who are committed to protecting the company’s property in case of a disaster. Hold a training session well before June 1 and reconvene after November 30 (at the conclusion of hurricane season) to assess the current plan and to decide if any changes are necessary. Before the season starts, review the plan thoroughly and make sure each team member understands his or her specific duties.

Tracking the Storm

Several agencies and groups offer storm tracking on their websites. These sites provide updates every day at 5:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Several of these sites offer an e-mail notification service. With access to

this information, the plan coordinator can inform the team members when a storm is forming so that they can monitor the progress and make plans accordingly.

Recovery

Contact your disaster recovery professionals and insurance companies immediately after the storm passes. Conduct a meeting at your central location or command post to begin the recovery portion of the plan. The plan coordinator and other team members should begin carrying out their responsibilities in the recovery phase as soon as possible. Typically, the property managers assigned to specific properties will complete the damage assessment forms. The forms need to be reviewed by the plan coordinator to establish a triage for concerns that need to be addressed in order to prevent additional damage. For example, a missing roof calls for installation of temporary protection to guard against further weather damage.

Once the plan coordinator receives all damage assessment forms, then the repair priority list should be sent to the disaster recovery company. An insurance adjuster will be assigned to assess the damage. In an effective plan, the disaster recovery company, the Emergency Preparedness Team and the insurance adjuster will work together to gauge the specific damage assessments. Depending on the type of property and lease language, it may be necessary to address insurance coverage for tenants. A tenant must file separate claims based on the requirements stated in his or her lease. Coordination between the property owner’s adjuster and contractors and the individual tenant’s adjuster and contractors will make the process run more smoothly.

These guidelines are designed to not only protect a business and its entities from chaotic turmoil after a storm, but to also offer peace of mind throughout the year.

Tim Walter is vice president, property management with Charleston, South Carolina-based The Beach Company.

©2006 France Publications, Inc. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from France Publications, Inc. For information on reprints of this article contact Barbara Sherer at (630) 554-6054.