Prepping For Urban Survival

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Prepping For Urban Survival

If a disaster strikes in an urban setting, there are certain precautions one may need to take in order to survive comfortably. With limited space and security, creating a well-strategized plan is key in order to survive whatever hurricane-corona-virus-economic-collapse-zombie-ridden-disaster one may encounter in an urban location.

People Planning

In the event a disaster does strike your city or neighborhood, security weakens and your home or apartment may be potentially in danger. To be successfully prepared for any disaster, plan to prepare with friends, family and/or neighbors. Continue reading “Prepping For Urban Survival” →

2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season

Posted by Devin Bommarito on

When does 2021’s hurricane season start?

 

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is coming quicker than most people thought. The season usually begins on June 1, 2021, and ends on November 30, 2021. These dates historically describe the period each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin and is adopted by convention. However, the formation of tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year. Starting with this hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) will begin issuing regular Tropical Weather Outlooks on May 15, two weeks earlier than they used to do so in the past, while the NHC, the National Weather Service (NWS), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) discuss whether or not to move up the official start of the hurricane season to May.

What are the names for this year’s hurricanes?

 

The following names will be used for named storms that form in the North Atlantic in 2021. Retired names, if any, will be announced by the World Meteorological Organization in the spring of 2022. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2027 season. This is the same list used in the 2015 season, with the exceptions of Elsa and Julian, which replaced Erika and Joaquin, respectively.

 

 

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October Hurricane Outlook

Posted by Devin Bommarito on

The tropics are quiet. Too quiet. We are still in the peak of Hurricane Season within the Atlantic and Pacific, but the seas are silent. However, this hiatus will not last long.

The month of October has featured several of the United States’ most vicious and ill-famed systems (i.e. Hurricane Michael in 2018).

During October, wind shear begins to increase over the eastern and central Atlantic which will tear a system apart before it develops. However, in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, the water temperatures are close to their warmest, and the wind shear remains close to its minimum.

Formation locations or tropical systems during October. (NHC/NOAA)

October is the most dangerous month for hurricanes for states like FL. Of the 112 recorded hurricanes to strike Florida since 1950, thirty-eight have occurred in October.

All Florida hurricanes since 1850 during the month of October (NHC, OPC, NOAA, HURDAT)

During month of October, there is a southward advance of the jet stream, as cold air begins to move over Canada. Which will facilitate fuel intense extratropical transitions because the remnants of hurricanes will move north.

What to Expect

By October 10th, rising motion related to consecutive convectively coupled Kelvin wave, a huge overturning circulation that meanders the tropics, will spread out around the western Atlantic. That upward motion can make it easier for storm clusters to become organized and a tropical system to mature, if one develops.

Broad rising motion will more than likely move in from the west and spread into the Western Atlantic by the second to third week of October. (CPC, NOAA)

 

During this point, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, or MJO — an analogous circulation that traverses the tropics monthly — is also supposed to enter a state that will cause a lot of storms and rain within the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

A phase 8 or 1 pattern would favor increased storms in the Gulf and Western Atlantic. (CPC, NOAA)

Even though some cooler waters linger within the northern Gulf after being churned up by Sally, the majority of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico stay warmer than usual. There is Plenty of heat to encourage a Hurricane if one does form.

Sea surface temperature anomalies in the Gulf of Mexico. (Tropical Tidbits)

 

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Disaster Recovery Plan Resources

Posted by Devin Bommarito on

Disaster Recovery Plan Resources

Having a proper evacuation plan can make all the difference in keeping you and your family safe during a hurricane. And, if you run a business, it can also help you get back on track faster after a disaster. Disasters are unpredictable and can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to homes and properties,but the good news is that there are several agencies that offer valuable information and guidance on how to prepare, stay safe, and recover from natural disasters.

Continue reading “Disaster Recovery Plan Resources” →

Is Your Business Prepared For A Natural Disaster?

Posted by Devin Bommarito on

Although we don’t like to think about it, a natural disaster can occur at any time. Further, there’s often little we can do to avoid the disaster if our business is in its path. However, what you can do is create a plan to help your business remain as operational as possible in the midst of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, and recover to full business operations as quickly as possible. Your disaster preparedness plan should include the following.

Continue reading “Is Your Business Prepared For A Natural Disaster?” →

Hurricane Shutters: What You Need To Know

Posted by Devin Bommarito on

There are several types of products that qualify as “shutter” protection for your home. Each option meets current Florida Building Code standards, and will also satisfy insurance requirements. They fall into one of the following categories:

  • Manually Installed Aluminum Hurricane Panels
  • Manually Installed Clear Polycarbonate Hurricane Panels
  • Accordion Hurricane Shutters
  • Bahama Hurricane Shutters
  • Colonial Hurricane Shutters
  • Electric or Motorized Roll-Down Hurricane Shutters
  • Manual and Electric Roll-Down Hurricane Screens
  • Hurricane Fabric
  • Impact Resistant Hurricane Windows and Doors

Because each application has Florida Building Code approval, your choice should be based on your lifestyle and which product best fits the specific opening. You should consult with a professional licensed building contractor to determine what the best option is for an opening. Each application needs to be installed according to Florida Building Code specifications to meet the requirements of protection, which will satisfy local building codes and your insurance company.

Manually Installed Aluminum Hurricane Panels

This style is often what is thought of when someone hears the phrase “hurricane shutters”. Aluminum hurricane panels are made from light-weight corrugated aluminum is very strong and can be installed vertically or horizontally to meet the needs of the opening. These panels are put up when there is threat of a storm, and taken down after.

The panels are measured and cut to cover the opening, and can be affixed to the house with a track or secured directly to the structure. The window will be completely covered when installed, and you can’t see out of the window once they are in place.

This is generally the least expensive type of shutter protection. The panels are lightweight, making them easy to carry, but can be awkward when installing over large openings. You will also need a place to store the panels when they are not in use.

Manually Installed Clear Polycarbonate Hurricane Panels

This style is similar to aluminum hurricane panels, but the corrugated panel is a clear polycarbonate. The main benefit of the polycarbonate material is that light can get through the opening, and you can see the conditions outside.

Like aluminum hurricane panels, they are lightweight and strong and can be installed vertically or horizontally to meet the needs of the opening. These panels are put up when there is threat of a storm, and taken down after.

The panels are measured and cut to cover the opening, and can be affixed to the house with a track or secured directly to the structure. The window will be completely covered when installed, and you will be able to see out of the window once they are in place.

The panels are lightweight, making them easy to carry, but can be awkward when installing over large openings. You will also need a place to store the panels when they are not in use.

Accordion Hurricane Shutters

Accordion hurricane shutters will protect windows, sliding glass doors or enclose entire balconies or lanais. They are also a good option for opening that may be hard to secure, such as a rounded window, aquarium type window or corner-meet non-impact sliding glass doors.

They are made from a lightweight aluminum and installed into tracks on the top and bottom that guide the movement of the shutters as well as hold them in place. The top track holds a wheel carriage that adds to ease of movement. These are manually operated.

They are easy to open and close in almost every application. Once the interconnected aluminum panels are closed and locked, your protection is in place. You will not be able to see out of the opening, and light will not pass through.

Accordion hurricane shutters need to be maintained by lubricating and cleaning annually. You won’t need to worry about storage as they are left in place retracted when not in use.

Bahama Hurricane Shutters

Bahama hurricane shutters might just look like decorative shutters that typify the look and feel of a tropical home, however when they are made of material strong enough to withstand hurricane force winds, and installed to meet current building code standards, they serve as viable protection for your home.

They are always in place, and can be lowered and latched with relative ease in the event of a storm. While extended, they can also serve as shade for any opening.

The style is not well-suited for every architectural style. It simply doesn’t work for many homes. There are also some limitations on the maximum size that they are considered to be effective, such as a door.

Colonial Hurricane Shutters

Colonial hurricane shutters are also permanently affixed to the structure, and considered “decorative”. Like Bahama hurricane shutters, when they are made of material strong enough to withstand hurricane force winds, and installed to meet current building code standards, they serve as viable protection for your home. They can also be easily closed in the event of a storm.

Like Bahama hurricane shutters, the style is not well-suited for every architectural style. It simply doesn’t work for many homes. There are also some limitations on the maximum size that they are considered to be effective.

Electric or Motorized Roll-Down Hurricane Shutters

Electric or motorized roll-down hurricane shutters might very well be considered to be the most convenient shutter option. Just a flip of a switch and your protection is in place. In some cases, you can also operate the shutter manually if there is a loss of power.

Electric or motorized roll-down shutters are a popular solution for lanai area of a home. They can be installed to easily enclose the entire lanai. Some people like the ability to leave patio furniture in place during a storm, which is easy to do with this shutter option. They also come in handy for everyday use by adding noise reduction, security and privacy when they are down.

They are always in place, affixed to the top of the opening and contained in a small box. This may be a deterrent to homeowners who don’t want to have this housing visible, especially on the front of the home.

Manual and Electric Roll-Down Hurricane Screens

Manual and electric roll-down hurricane screens are newer to the market, but most manufacturers have obtained Florida Building Code approval through stringent testing. The screen will stop flying debris from impacting your opening during a storm. These must be installed by a certified professional contractor.

They function much like a composite electric, motorized or manual roll-down shutter with a noted exception that you can have full visibility from the inside to the outside. The screen itself is a very dense, tightly woven material that not only withstands the force of hurricane winds of 130 mph, but also repels water in the same way that a composite shutter would.

They are a great solution for protection in large or unusually configured areas. They deploy with relative ease, and have the added benefit of use for privacy, shade and rain protection during mild storms.

Hurricane Fabric

Hurricane fabric is also called hurricane netting or hurricane curtains depending on the manufacturer. The function and installation is basically the same as long as it meets the same Florida Building Code approval requirements.

Hurricane fabric is a PVC coated woven fabric panel that has been tested and approved to block wind, rain and flying debris. You can see through the fabric from the inside, and it is also a great solution for protection in large or unusually configured areas.

The fabric comes in a variety of colors. It can be affixed to the structure of your home with straps, buckles (such as around columns) and grommets (such as around a window area). All methods of installation allow for easy access to exit your home quickly.

Impact Resistant Hurricane Windows and Doors

Impact resistant hurricane windows and doors are not considered “shutters”. They are an alternative to shutters that offer full-time protection against the elements, intruders, UV rays and noise. This is generally going to be the most expensive option in hurricane protection.

The benefit of total home replacement of windows and doors with impact resistant products is that you never have to think about it again. Once installed by a qualified, licensed professional your protection is in place 24-7-365.

If your windows and doors need to be replaced, you might give serious consideration to replacing them with impact resistant hurricane windows and doors. The cost of replacing a window or door with a non-impact product and then adding a shutter to meet current codes is very close to replacing the opening with an impact product.

The bottom line…

You have a spectrum of options ranging from the least expensive shutter panels to replacing your windows and doors with impact resistant hurricane windows and doors. So how do you determine what is best for you?

Consider this:

Typically the least expensive option will be the most labor intensive and conversely, the most expensive options will be the most worry-free. So when narrowing your budget vs. expense, consider this:

The front of your home generally has the highest priority aesthetically. You want protection in place that doesn’t detract from the architecture.

The back of your home will take the next level of priority, and typically will be the most expensive area to protect due to the fact that you generally see the most glass in the back. Most people want to preserve the view, and possibly enclose the lanai to be able to leave furniture out at all times. You can generally save a great deal on the back of the home with shutters vs. impact-resistant doors and windows.

The sides of your home usually are the last priority because they rally aren’t seen by you and sometimes, not even your neighbor. Although they can’t be seen, it is still vital to protect the openings as they are vulnerable.

The least expensive hurricane panels might be a good option. You can always upgrade in the future to a more expensive shutter option, or choose to replace the windows with an impact product.

Ultimately…

You want to make sure that you choose products that fit your lifestyle, and hire a qualified contractor for the installation.

If your commercial or residential property has been damaged by strong winds or a big storm, there is a series of steps you should follow to mitigate the damage and get help right away.

  • Contact the Regency DRT team for a damage assessment. If you have insurance, you must act quickly to minimize any damage to your property as required by your policy.
  • Call your insurance company to report the damages and review your policy and coverage. (Keep in mind Regency DRT does not advise or make recommendations on your insurance coverage.) We do work with all insurance companies to assist you in working with the insurance adjuster.
  • Report safety hazards especially downed power lines.
  • Stay away from areas that are flooding as the water could be charged with an electrical current. There is also the possibility of potential dangers under the water like any nails or other sharp objects.

Act Fast!

When your house has been water damaged, there is no time to lounge around and wait for a good time to start the cleanup process. We at Regency DRT have more than twenty years of experience to handle every type of water damage dilemma you might face. Some of the services we provide include water extraction and pump-outs, complete structural drying, dehumidification, mold and sewage remediation, water damage cleanup due to frozen pipes and broken pipes, and off-site personal property cleaning.

Please contact us for more information on how we can help you. Even if you aren’t interested in our services at this time, we are happy to offer any advice and information on how to recover from water damage.

 

 

24/7 Emergency And Professional Storm Damage Cleanup And Restoration – Call (888) 221-5791!

 

Natural Disaster Preparedness With Pets

Posted by Devin Bommarito on

Sometimes natural disasters come at us with such little notice, but there are things you can do to prepare your pets before the disaster is even predicted! Read on to learn more about pet emergency care in a disaster.

 

 

Who to contact
There are plenty of people and organizations that should be contacted before the event of a natural disaster. First of all, local animal shelters can provide you with the best safety tips for your area. They may not be available to take your pets in, but they can tell you where to take them if you cannot take care of them. Being informed about what your community does for pets in these instances is the first step to being prepared for a disaster.

 

Evacuate pets when you evacuate the family
This may seem obvious, but in the event of a natural disaster, you may put everything else besides you and your family to the back of your mind. Don’t say “we will go back and get him/her” because it is quite likely that you will forget, or it will be too late; if you leave your pet behind, he/she could get injured, lost, or worse.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                     

Research pet-friendly shelters

Research pet friendly shelters ahead of time so you know where you can take your pet, and where you can’t. The most important thing to be aware of is that Red Cross disaster shelters do not allow pets. If you need to go to one of these, plan ahead and find a different shelter for your pets. It would be useful to contact hotels, boarding facilities, and veterinarians beforehand to determine if they take pets during emergencies. You can also find friends, relatives, or others outside the area that may take care of your pet until your family gets back on its feet.

 

Prepare a disaster kit for pets
This should include pet supplies, such as medications and medical records, a pet first aid kit, sturdy leashes, harnesses, and/or carrier to transport pets safely and ensure that your animal can’t escape. You may also want to include current photos of your pet in case you lose them. Also in the kit should be food, portable water, bowls, cat litter/pan, and a can opener. Make sure this kit is easily accessible and everyone in your household knows where it is located.

 

 

What to do if your pet gets lost
It is a very scary situation if you lose a pet during a natural disaster. The first thing you can do is contact the local animal shelters, police station, and veterinarians to see if they took in a pet like yours. If you have no luck, try contacting boarding facilities or any other location that you think your pet might end up. That is why it is handy to keep photos of your pet in the disaster kit, so people are familiar with what they should keep their eyes open for. It is helpful to get your pet micro chipped ahead of time, and make she he/she wears a collar and identification tags.

Natural disasters are scary, and they can be even scarier for our pets. That is why it’s so important to be prepared for a disaster even when it is not likely to happen. Remember, all your pet has is you. The best thing you can do is be prepared!

 

Protecting Important Documents

Posted by Editor on

It’s natural. It’s human nature. You don’t really think about this very often.

What are we talking about? Water, fire and smoke damage.

When you do think about what may happen to your home, and then take action to prepare, what you do is usually minor and easy to do… such as turning off your outside water supply when winter approaches and testing smoke alarms and replacing fire extinguishers on a regular basis.

Yet there is one very important action you should take right now in preparation for the unthinkable. That’s right, protecting your important documents, such as your birth certificates, marriage license, financial papers, insurance policies and social security cards.

Most homeowners keep all their important papers and documents in what they consider a safe place, such as in an organized folder in a home office or secure location where they know exactly where everything is. Unfortunately, that’s not really very safe when there is flooding or fire and
smoke. Others might utilize a water and fire proof safe, which is a great idea.

Yet there is something additional you can do to 100% guarantee your important documents are safe no matter what happens.

Scan them and put them on the “cloud.”

You may already do this, and if so, congratulations. No matter what happens to your home, your documents are safe and can be accessed from any device connected to the internet.

But if you don’t, get a cloud-based storage account that has plenty of storage space for your needs and start scanning those documents. Keep them organized in online folders, and make sure those in your family who should have access to them have username and passwords they can use in an emergency. You should still keep the originals as safe as you can, of course.

And when the unthinkable happens, when you do have a fire, flood or mold damage, don’t forget there is professional assistance for you: Call your disaster restoration pro for help.

Continue reading “Protecting Important Documents” →

Why Is Water Temperature Important?

Posted by Devin Bommarito on

Human populations demand solid weather forecasting. They need to know exactly what they are up against especially during the Atlantic tropical hurricane season. Not only do they need to know the speed, direction, and likely point of landfall, but for them to prepare they need to know days in advance. They have to buy the boards to board up the windows, batten down the hatches, and get everyone to a safe haven. There’s a lot that goes into forecasting the direction, path, and speed of hurricanes.

You may wonder why water temperature is so important for hurricane information. The reason has to do with a meteorological phenomenon. Surface water temperature increases the amount of evaporation. The more evaporation you get off the surface of the ocean, the more easily the normal wind flows and trade winds are blocked. When the trade winds are weak, or blocked by walls of heavy moisture content, the hurricane is allowed to freely form and grow stronger. The hurricane doesn’t have to worry about the trade winds knocking down the eye wall of the hurricane, or not allowing it form.

Without the trade winds moving the tropical storm along, that storm starts slowing down, as it goes slower all of that energy starts moving in a circular fashion. The hurricane eye wall becomes tighter and tighter, constantly evolving from a well-defined circle into a broken pattern, and reforming again. Eventually it finds a perfect groove, and the eye wall lasts longer between re-formations. If the water is cold, the evaporation slows down, and any prevailing winds push the hurricane forward on its path preventing the eye wall from creating a very tight circle with an increased low-pressure area.

This is why the super computers take into consideration the water temperature. It has often been said that warm water is like jet fuel for a hurricane. This is indeed true, and this is why warm water temperatures are so important and such an important component of the algorithms used to guesstimate, predict, and forecast the wind speeds, forward speed, and low-pressure numbers. By knowing these things and the prevailing trade winds, the artificially intelligent computer software system can adequately predict within a small range of probability.

It seems everyone knows that very warm water close to the shore in the path of a hurricane is a very dangerous factor to consider when predicting the impending disaster as the hurricane hits land, now you know why.