Responding to water flood damage in your home
November 18, 2009
The unexpected is always what every homeowner fears when there is a thunderstorm or sever weather forecast. Owning a home can become a large headache when things begin to go wrong or you are in need of emergency repair work. The best approach to handle every possible home emergency, from fires to water flood damage or electrical malfunctions is to have a safety plan in place. Certain areas of the country (California, Hawaii, Florida) may require you to include planning for hurricanes, earthquakes or volcano eruptions. There are some simple guidelines that everyone should follow and more advance procedures you can take to help ensure your safety and minimize residual damage to your home.
The government has a special division called FEMA, which stands for Federal Emergency Management Association. In large catastrophe areas, such as New Orleans after hurricane Katrina struck ground, FEMA is generally the agency that coordinates the disaster relief and restoration processes. They work with the local emergency response teams such as fire and police as well as coordinate National Guard and private contract support.
Smaller scale events such as flooding or debris removal from a thunderstorm most likely will not involve the resources of FEMA. More likely your local emergency personnel dispatched to deal with fallen electric lines or rescuing home owners who may be trapped in their homes. Property damage from storms or fires is likely to require the enlistment of a construction or restoration firm. Finding a company to assist in water damage repair or cleanup can be done with references or a quick search of the internet. This is a component of pre-planning a disaster that home owners and business owners should initiate. One of the best ideas is to keep valuables such as passports, birth certificates, extra cash and emergency phone numbers in a safe that is both water and fire proof. The pre-planning will help you to have some necessary resources as you scramble to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones. The primary goal with any emergency should be the safety of you and your family. Risking injury to try and preserve your home is never a good idea, and if you have any doubts as to the integrity of your property after an unplanned disaster, call a professional for a safety inspection. Keep your family and loved ones away from flood or water after a fire as these are likely to contain pollutants. Your homes air quality could be a hidden safety item following a catastrophe due to soot or mold spores, so if you have concerns, obtain an air quality kit to properly check your homes air for unwanted contaminants.
