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Water from storm surges or heavy rain gets in your building in
unimaginable ways, and finds its way through new angles and
crevices and into areas that you wouldn't expect, and areas
you can't see or easily investigate. Finding it all can be more
of an art than an emergency response skill for the moisture
intrusion investigator. It should be the first step in a response
protocol to fully ascertain which areas are most affected by
water damage as well as determining the water migration.
Water impacted properties create indoor air quality concerns
that may need ongoing monitoring for tenant or resident health
considerations. Moisture mapping can track the progress of
material drying, which is essential in monitoring the possibility
of mold and the need to remove materials. This is important
for restoration efforts and as documentation for the owner
and their insurance company.
Do you have a readily available, detailed asbestos or lead-based
paint Operations & Maintenance plan? Clearly outlining what
materials are "hot" (asbestos-containing) can save substantial
money and time associated with delays in a scenario where
impacted materials need to be removed and disposed of. Should
you need to confirm materials as asbestos-containing materials in
a disaster response scenario, be sure your triplicate sampling and
homogeneous material assumptions are sound before letting the
remediation contractor loose, and cover yourself with oversight
documentation of the remediation contractor's work. Before
hiring asbestos and moisture mapping assessment professionals,
don't forget that states have differing licensing requirements.
Does your property have a formal storm contingency plan?
In addition to the asbestos mapping, cybersecurity and fuel/
chemical storage issues discussed above, these should
include basic protocols discussing drinking water risks, safety
precautions for any industrial machine operations, preparation
of safety kits and cash on hand, and readily available insurance
procedures to file claims as quickly as possible.
It's the things you DON'T think about that become critical
when a disaster event occurs! For property owners and equity
investors, this can mean an immediate loss of revenue and
long-term asset equity instability. Investing time and resources
into upgrading properties, maintaining structural and engineering
sustainability, and implementing contingency plans can save you
a lot of money and value in the long term.
10
"Battered Texas town may be without power for weeks" CNN,
http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/28/us/rockport-texas-hurricane-harvey-
damage/index.html
11
"A Week After Irma, Florida Families Still Living In The Dark" NPR,
http://www.npr.org/2017/09/18/551833707/a-week-after-irma-florida-
families-still-living-in-the-dark
12
"Unmanned Aircraft Systems" Federal Aviation Administration,
https://www.faa.gov/uas/
13
"Security Practices for Smart Buildings: Good, Better, Best: Solution
Brief" Intel, https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/smart-buildings/
security-practices-smart-buildings-brief.html
14
"What Fukushima Disaster Taught Me About Risk Management
In Cybersecurity" Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/
williamsaito/2017/04/20/what-fukushima-disaster-taught-me-about-risk-
management-in-cybersecurity/#2f451183681e
15
"Why You Need a Cybersecurity Disaster Response Plan Now"
Lunarline Blog, https://lunarline.com/blog/2017/06/why-you-need-a-
cybersecurity-disaster-response-plan-now/
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