National Preparedness Month Offers Home and Business Owners an Opportunity to Resolve to be Ready for an Emergency

9/6/2019 (Permalink)

National Preparedness Month logo

Local SERVPRO disaster restoration specialist highlights no-cost tools to help property owners prepare and maintain a comprehensive emergency readiness plan.

Easton/Bethlehem/Whitehall, PA - No matter where you live or work, emergencies caused by weather, fire, wind, water, and other natural or manmade disasters can strike at any time and are largely unpredictable. SERVPRO of Easton, Bethlehem & Whitehall reminds Lehigh Valley area home and business owners that preparing in advance is the best thing you can do to help minimize a disaster's impact on your loved ones and your property. Each year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designates September as National Preparedness Month - a time to create, or update, your plan for when disaster strikes.

"In the same way that people make 'resolution' at the New Year, National Preparedness Month is a great time to resolve to create a plan, or review your existing plan, each and every year," said Steve Davis of SERVPRO of Easton, Bethlehem & Whitehall. "Everyone needs a comprehensive emergency plan. Business owners also need to plan for business interruption and continuation. But equally importantly, families and businesses alike need immediate access to data like emergency and insurance contacts, shut-off valves, electrical panel locations, and the line of command to authorize work so emergency responders can react quickly and appropriately during the emergency. This month's focus on preparedness is a great incentive for both families and businesses to put a plan in place and review it regularly."

Creating an emergency plan is straightforward, according to Davis. No matter what type of threats exist where you live or work - wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, or other natural or manmade disasters - tools are available from FEMA (https://www.ready.gov) with guidelines for preparing emergency food, water, and medical supplies; planning for special needs; and creating communication and evacuation plans. These tools and others, like the SERVPRO READY app, also help you store essential contact and property information electronically where it can be accessed with a mobile device in seconds if disaster strikes. Both home and business owners can download the free app at https://ready.SERVPRO.com/home/mobileapp.

Local business owners can take an additional preparedness step by designating SERVPRO of Easton, Bethlehem & Whitehall as their disaster mitigation and restoration provider. SERVPRO professionals will conduct a no-cost assessment of the facility and assist the owner in completing a comprehensive Emergency READY Profile (ERP) to be stored in the READY app.

"The key to getting your life or business back on track is timely response after a disaster strikes. That's why it's important to take the time to record and store your information electronically, and then commit to a time - like National Preparedness Month - to review and update your records at least once each year," said Davis. "Remember, filing cabinets and their contents may be inaccessible or even destroyed in an emergency situation, so don't depend on them to keep track of critical insurance, property, or contact information in the event of a disaster. Store your data electronically. If disaster strikes, you'll have the information you need literally at your fingertips."

SERVPRO of Easton, Bethlehem & Whitehall specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup, and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it "Like it never even happened," for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO of Eaton, Bethlehem & Whitehall, please contact our office at (610) 559-9380 or SERVPRO5770@SERVPROebw.com. For more information on SERVPRO and the SERVPRO Emergency READY Program, please visit www.ready.SERVPRO.com.

About SERVPRO

Founded in 1967, the SERVPRO Franchise System is a leader and provider of fire and water cleanup and restoration services and mold mitigation and remediation. SERVPRO's professional services network of more than 1,700 individually owned and operated Franchises responds to property damage emergencies ranging from small individual disasters to multi-million dollar large-loss events. Providing coverage in the United States and Canada, the SERVPRO System has established relationships with major insurance companies and commercial clients, as well as individual homeowners.