GALLATIN, Tenn., Aug. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Disaster restoration specialists with SERVPRO® remind property owners that September is National Preparedness Month. This annual event, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides families and businesses with the information and resources they need to plan for, react to, survive, and recover from an emergency, before the emergency happens.
For National Preparedness Month 2018, themed “Disasters happen, prepare now, learn how,” FEMA has prepared a week-by-week calendar of recommended actions property owners can take to be ready if disaster does strike:
Week 1. Create an emergency plan that includes signing up for emergency alerts and making contingency plans for shelter, evacuation, and family communication.
Week 2. Learn life-saving skills. CPR is a good place to start, but also be certain you know how to turn off the utilities in your home and ensure your smoke and CO detectors are properly installed and working.
Week 3. Check your insurance coverage. Once the emergency is over, appropriate and sufficient insurance will be key to getting your life back to normal, or at least on track.
Week 4. Plan financially for the possibility of a disaster. This goes beyond having a “rainy day fund” for immediate needs. Gather and organize important home, business, insurance, financial, and personal documents and keep them up-to-date and stored in a secure, water-and-fire proof location.
“There’s a difference between surviving a disaster and recovering from a disaster,” says Sue Steen, Servpro Industries, Inc., chief executive officer. “Families and businesses who take the time to create both a short- and long-term plan to deal with the unexpected are better able to respond quickly if the unexpected happens, which can improve their chances of survival. Having key information at their fingertips in the aftermath of the emergency can set them on the path to recovery more quickly and with less stress.”
Because SERVPRO recognizes a fast response is critical in any emergency, Steen invites commercial and residential property owners to download the SERVPRO READY app for free at https://ready.servpro.com/home/mobileapp. The app allows users to store essential contact and property information electronically, where it can be accessed with a mobile device in seconds, right from the scene, if disaster strikes. For business owners who designate their local SERVPRO system member as their disaster mitigation and restoration provider, SERVPRO professionals will conduct a no-cost assessment of their facility, help the owner complete a comprehensive Emergency READY Profile® (ERP), and store that profile in the READY app.
“SERVPRO disaster cleanup and restoration specialists are ready to respond to emergencies big and small,” said Steen. “From SERVPRO’s Disaster Recovery Team, a group of elite large-loss specialists, prequalified and strategically positioned throughout the United States to handle any size disaster, to SERVPRO professionals in cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, we specialize in disaster restoration, cleanup and repair services, helping make it ‘Like it never even happened’ for both commercial and residential customers.”
For more information on SERVPRO please visit www.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.
SERVPRO’s Disaster Recovery Team mobilizes from across the country, as needed, to support large storm events. SERVPRO’s Disaster Recovery Team has responded to large loss and storm events across the country, including: 2018 California Wildfires, 2017 Hurricane Harvey, 2017 Hurricane Irma, 2016 Hurricane Matthew, 2016 Louisiana Flooding, 2016 Houston Flooding, 2015 Siberian Express, 2014 Mid-Atlantic Flooding, 2014 Polar Vortex, 2013 Colorado Floods, 2013 Alberta, Canada Floods, 2012 Hurricane Sandy, 2012 Hurricane Isaac, 2011 Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, 2011 North Dakota Floods, 2010 Tennessee Floods, 2010 New England Floods, 2009 California Wildfires and 2008 Hurricane Ike.