Tropical storms and the potential destruction that accompanies them are an ever-prevalent reality in the States as they sweep through communities, damaging buildings along the way. The recent devastation caused by Hurricane Isaac along the Gulf Coast, which is said to have unloaded more rainfall than Katrina, did not come without warning issued by the government and weather experts.
While we can’t control Mother Nature, with proper planning, building managers and property owners can minimize the damage to the critical mechanical and heating and cooling equipment that runs their buildings. By creating and following a hurricane emergency plan that details standard operating procedures to follow, employee safety will be maximized and building downtime will be minimized.
Below are some highlights from our hurricane emergency plan that we created for our customers. We develop comprehensive plans for all types of emergencies, such as fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, bomb threats, and so on, to protect our customers and their employees.
Upfront Planning
- Identify and keep all essential storm supplies on hand at all times, eg. sand bags, water, duct tape, floor fans, etc.
- Determine what sections of the building are low-level and flood prone.
- Have pre-arranged agreements with contractors for post-storm issues, such as a water damage remediation company, an electrical contractor, an HVAC contractor such as Crockett Facilities Services.
Pre-Storm Preparations
- Inspect areas susceptible to flooding to ensure obstructions are removed, such as drains, gutters and manholes.
- Check equipment operation of pumps and lift stations.
- Run tests of the building’s emergency mechanical equipment.
Shut Down Equipment
- Shut down heating, ventilation and cooling equipment as well as Building Automation Systems.
- To prevent automatic start-ups, manually shut down boilers, heaters and pumps.
- Turn off electrical switch gear and breakers.
After the Storm
- Inspect HVAC and mechanical equipment for potential damage and operational issues.
- Inspect for water damage.
- Identify plan to facilitate critical repairs and restoration of building systems.
- Contact contractors such as Crockett Facilities Services based on pre-arranged agreements to begin restorative measures.
If you have any questions about Hurricane Emergency Plans and Preparations, or to get a cost quote for facilities management or HVAC services for your commercial or government building, please contact Crockett Facilities Services at 301.262.2771, email sales@crockett-facilities.com or click here today!
Crockett Facilities Services, Inc. (CFSI), headquartered in Bowie, Maryland, provides value-added building operation and maintenance services to federal, state and commercial clients throughout eight states, including Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Established in 2000, CFSI is a woman-owned, MDOT MBE contractor.