Low-Cost Ways to Get Your Business Ready for Hurricane Season

• Consider pallets, tables and chairs, patio umbrellas, benches, and other moveable items.
• Make sure sign connections have no missing bolts or screws and are free from rust.

• Keep all trees trimmed and away from the roof and building. Trees near or overhanging your building can damage the roof, damage the building, and clog drains.

• Ensure all outdoor drains are clear of debris, especially around shipping and receiving areas.
• Be sure roof drains are clear.
• Extend downspouts away from the building to divert water.

• Know what your insurance policy covers—and what it doesn’t.
• Store your insurance agent’s contact information in your phone.

• Look up your property on your local flood map by visiting FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center or by contacting your city or county government to understand your flood risk. Note: Flooding can occur outside of high-risk flood areas.
• Know the base flood elevation (BFE) for your property and determine whether the elevation of your building’s lowest floor is above or below the BFE.

Remember: Return periods are just probabilities. A “1 in 100-year event” does NOT mean it happens once every 100 years; it means there is a 1% chance every year that this type of event could happen.

• Use OFB-EZ  (Open for Business-EZ) as a guide to help your business plan for any type of business disruption, so you can quickly re-open and resume operations following a disaster.

• Stay alert to help you and your employees stay safe. Purchase a NOAA weather radio for your business.
• Find a reliable source for hurricane updates. Pay attention to hurricane forecasts from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Follow the NHC on Facebook or Twitter and tune in to local news often.

Note: Maps are used to communicate critical weather information. Know where you are on a map and know your county name.