It is officially mid-March and it feels like the weather is (hopefully) going to start holding in the 40s and 50s. This also means that the atmospheric humidity levels will be increasing, officially bringing on tornado season. If you have been a long-time resident of Iowa, you understand the importance and power that tornado season has upon this state. You may recall events like the Parkersburg tornado or you may have even been involved in one or more of the 55 tornadoes that touched down in Iowa in 2017.
We can never predict when a tornado is going to strike, but we can prepare ourselves so that as minimal damage possible is done when one occurs. ServiceMaster By Rice would like to offer some tips on what to do to prepare your business or home for the 2018 tornado season.
Preparing Your Home
Now, understand that the forces of a tornado can generally be too strong for your house to withstand the violet wind speeds. However, since tornadoes are so spontaneous, proper preparation can give your home, family, and yourself a chance against one. Here are some things you should do before a tornado:
- Have a weather radio in your house that has fresh batteries installed.
- Clear your yard and driveway of objects such as large branches, scrap metal, heavy bricks, and other loose items can become lethal trajectories that demolish your home and put your health at risk.
- Make sure there is a clear path to your basement or place of shelter with little to no windows in the area.
- Teach your children where to go and how to stay safe in the event of a natural disaster
- If you live in a mobile home, leave immediately to find shelter elsewhere. Even a tied-down mobile home will not withstand the strong winds of a tornado.
Preparing Your Business
At a commercial building or place of work, there are more bodies and generally more building space that can be lost or damaged. Since most people are not as familiar with their office space compared to their home, proper natural disaster preparation is an absolute must. To stay safe at your place of work, here are ways to be prepared:
- Have a shelter plan in place. Make sure every employee in the building knows where to go in the event of a tornado. It’s also smart to have a singular response system installed so that employees can be alerted
- Develop a financial plan. When a business is struck by a tornado or other natural disasters, they are destined to be out of business for an extended period of time. Have a thoroughly developed plan of payroll, benefits, and HR responsibilities while the business is going through natural disaster cleanup and remediation.
- Stay together: Make sure that you have everyone accounted for and in a safe place. However, don’t try and be a hero when a tornado is close. Stay put in safety until you know that the tornado has passed.
Tornado and Natural Disaster Cleanup
Hopefully, we do not have a busy tornado season. In 2017, the state of Iowa was lucky to escape with zero recorded fatalities from tornadoes. However, there were millions of dollars in property damage. If your home or business is affected by a tornado or natural disaster, contact ServiceMaster By Rice. Our technicians are IICRC certified for natural disaster cleanup and restoration and are on call 24/7 in case of emergency.
