Four Steps for Community Associations to Take BEFORE Disaster Strikes

	Who Ya Gonna Call? When disaster hits, be it a minor catastrophe like a burst pipe or a major calamity like a tornado, who do you first call once everyone is safe? While our customers are always welcome to call us – and we do have an emergency number – the FIRST call you should make is to a mitigation team. Insurance contracts specify that property owners must act swiftly to keep damage from becoming worse. The best way to maximize your insurance settlement and minimize the cost to your association is to get professionals on site quickly to ensure tarps are stretched over damaged roofs, water is removed from flooded floors, and that every necessary stopgap measure is taken. Be sure to store the number of a disaster recovery firm on your cell phone – this should be the first call you make.
	Choose Your Contractor The simple step of choosing a damage mitigation company ahead of time can make all the difference in the world in the event of a big mess. A good company has the experience to act as a general contractor, coordinating various trades, including plumbing, electrical, and drywallers. Choosing a contractor ahead of time will also protect you from unscrupulous storm-chasers who do shoddy work, preying upon unprepared property owners.
	Be a Preferred Customer Many such recovery companies will make your property a “preferred customer.” Just like being a preferred customer gets your streets plowed first in a snowstorm, as a mitigation contractor’s preferred customer you will see the trucks and workers first when there is an event that affects the entire area. There are many great companies in the area that our adjusters respect and with whom we have great relationships. We can help you find one.
	Gather Everyone’s Contacts In the event of an emergency where residents are displaced, it is important you have obtained residents’ cell phone numbers and email addresses before they go to a hotel. Don’t limit yourself to just the resident’s phone, either. Ask them to share the phone number of friends or family with whom they might stay.To do their work, recovery contractors and insurance adjusters have to coordinate with homeowners and condo owners in order to assess the damage and begin mitigation and repair. You would be surprised how recovery efforts can drag out due to problems with communication. In past disasters, email has proven to be a reliable way to keep residents informed of progress, and the contractors will be glad to be able to reach out to a resident when needed.