The power of community

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how to use your business’s skills and services to create a hurricane response plan that helps protect and support your community. 

Hurricane season, which is typically June to November, is in full swing in the United States. For those who live in areas that are hurricane-prone, this can be a stressful time as getting prepared for a hurricane is added to your day-to-day demands. But there are some ways that you can help your community be better prepared for hurricanes and the aftermath of them. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards spoke to Chris Kane of Adams and Reese about actions business owners can take to help their communities in the face of hurricane season. 

One of the biggest things that Chris recommended was developing a disaster recovery plan. For homeowners, this means already having phone numbers and contacts so you don’t have to scramble to figure out who to contact if something like your roof is compromised in the storm. On the other hand, contractors and business owners should also have a disaster recovery plan, but it’ll be more focused on responding to those calls. Chris explained, “Pre-positioning is really what we call it. Pre-positioning yourself if a storm were to hit so you can deliver your services to that area as immediately as possible.” 

One way Chris recommended making the connections needed for a successful disaster recovery plan was using existing programs, like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Blue Roof program. He explained, “These programs build agreements with local emergency agencies, using either standby contracts or subcontracts with those who have disaster response contracts, for work that needs to be done in the 72 hours following a storm.” An example of this is a partnership with a roofing company to address emergency roof repairs needed to keep inhabitants safe while they wait for more permanent repairs to be done.  

In his work with Adams and Reese, Chris helps contractors develop their disaster recovery plans and get their services listed for these programs. He elaborated, “We listen to clients’ business model, what services that they provide, where they see opportunities, post-disaster response and then work with them to figure out what government agency, where the funding will actually come from and try to support putting together a business plan that is well out in advance of an event occurring.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how you can create a disaster recovery plan and use your business to protect those around you.