7 Essential Tips For Protecting Your Family, Home, and Business During Hurricane Season
Hurricanes can and do occur often this time of year. As we on the Grand Strand live on the coast, we need to be aware and prepared during the North Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs from June 1-November 30.
Although hurricanes are likely to bring heavy rains, strong gusts, and storm surges that are able to cause different degrees of damage to homes and businesses, there are steps that you can take now, in order to be impacted minimally by these storms.
In this article, we will jump right into some hurricane safety tips for individual, commercial, and home safety.
As always, preparation is the key to preventing disasters!
1. Prepare an accessible emergency kit
One of the most essential things you should do to prepare for an oncoming hurricane is to design an emergency kit, for both your home and your business.
This kit should include items such as water, food, flashlights, batteries for those flashlights, a first-aid kit, and any medications you are currently taking. It should be kept in a secure location that is easy to reach so that it can be accessible at any time you need it.
2. Board up doors and windows
In the event of a hurricane, powerful gusts of wind can cause heavy damage to windows and even doors. It is crucial to take the steps to protect these vulnerable parts of your home or business before the storm comes in.
Consider installing storm shutters or boarding up these areas with plywood. Also, check the seals on your doors and windows in order to make sure that they are safe and secure.
3. Trim your trees
Powerful winds are also able to cause trees to fall over, creating significant damage, especially to homes and businesses.
Before a hurricane arrives, trim any trees around your property. Remove weak branches that may even be dead. This will help stop them from falling or being blown by a gust, potentially causing heavy damage.
4. Secure items that are outdoors
Outdoor furniture, ornaments, and general equipment can instantly become damage-causing projectiles during the winds of a hurricane. Be sure to move these items indoors if you can’t confidently secure them or at least to a safer area before the storm rolls in.
5. Evacuate if necessary or ordered by the state
In special cases, it could be quite necessary to evacuate your home or business in the event of a hurricane. Pay close attention to local weather alerts and follow any evacuation orders given by the state or local authorities.
If you do feel the need or are ordered to evacuate, make sure to bring your emergency kit with you and follow the designated evacuation routes. When you evacuate, let others know where you are going. Your neighbors, your family, and your friends should be aware of your evacuation plans.
Having a security system with cameras will allow you to keep an eye on your home and your business in the event of a mandatory evacuation, no matter where you are!
6. Check your insurance coverage
It is essential to check your insurance coverage in advance of a hurricane. Be sure that you have coverage for your home or business, and that you understand any limitations or exclusions that might apply.
You may consider purchasing flood insurance, as some standard policies might not cover flood damage. Your insurance agents will be able to guide you!
7. Keep Informed
During and before a hurricane, it is important to stay informed about the latest weather conditions and generally just any updates from local authorities. Be sure to watch the local news and weather, and you should consider signing up for text alerts or any other notifications that would come from local emergency agencies.
BONUS HURRICANE PREP TIP
Test your home security system and your cameras before hurricane season starts. Make sure your apps are updated, and you have login access on your mobile devices.
This way, even if you have to evacuate, you can keep an eye on your property!
South Carolina Hurricane Prep Starts in May!
Hurricanes can be incredibly dangerous, but with the proper knowledge, preparation, and planning, you can help to minimize the damage of these storms on your home, business, and family.
By following these hurricane safety tips, you can rescue the risk of damage and help keep you and your property safe during a massive storm.
Need Hurricane Prep Help?
Never hesitate to reach out to us at Strand Security. We’ve been living in South Carolina for many years and can help those who are new to the State of South Carolina, and new to hurricane season with hurricane preparations. We answer our phones. Give us a call!
The Ultimate Smart Home Integration: Window Shades and Amazon’s Alexa
Smart Home Automation in Myrtle Beach
Who doesn’t love home automation?
Smart home Automation means automating recurring tasks in your home.
That includes things like:
- activating your home security system
- locking and unlocking doors
- regulating your thermostat
- accessing your home theater
With the latest technology, you can pretty much automate any appliance or system in your home.
Smart Home Technology and South Carolina Hurricanes
Automation doesn’t just happen, or is only possible from within the house!
We’ve entered hurricane season!
When the next hurricane hits the Myrtle Beach area and you need to evacuate, using smart home technology you will be able to watch-in-real-time and take care of your home while away, from a distance!
Security cameras and smart home technology will enable you to keep an eye on your assets during a mandatory evacuation while you are safe and secure away from the storm, during the next named storm.
Automated Window Shades with Amazon Alexa!
Today, we are going to show you the latest (and super cool) automation!
Window shades!
Automating Window Shades with Amazon’s Alexa
What is Alexa?
Alexa is Amazon’s voice-based AI-powered digital assistant that powers an entire smart device ecosystem. Alexa can reply to simple queries and perform various tasks or commands that one gives.
Alexa is a lifesaver for people with disabilities.
For example, someone who is visually impaired can use Alexa and voice commands for tasks like
- turning on the microwave
- accessing their TV
- locking and unlocking doors
- regulating heat and AC
- opening and closing window shades
Smart Homes Shades Demo
Check out this awesome smart home window shades demo by one of our Strand Security technicians.
Automate Recurring Tasks with Smart Home Technology
At Strand Security, we have being installing Smart Home Technology, Smart Home Systems as well as Commercial Smart Technology in local, Grand Strand homes and businesses for many years!
Technology advances and brands change. We at Strand Security will always be on trend with the latest technology and the best brands to provide you with the best customer experience and the best smart home or commercial automation system available.
No matter what home security system you have right now, chances are you can keep (part of) your current system and add smart home technology to make all systems work together.
Here are some brands we work with:
Are You Interested in Smart Home Window Shades?
Give us a call if you want to learn more about home automation, like these window shades!
New to South Carolina? Get Prepared for Hurricane Season Now!
National Hurricane Preparedness Week
May 2022 started out with National Hurricane Preparedness Week! If you follow us (Strand Security) on Social Media, you’ve seen some of the posts.
We want to make sure that our blog readers are prepared as well.
FACT: The Atlantic Hurricane season runs from June 1-November 30.
Preparation for this Atlantic Hurricane Season, which is our season here in South Carolina, should start in May! Especially during this post-pandemic time with shipping issues and delays, getting your hands on supplies might become a challenging task.
- Need a generator? You better start looking!
- Need wood to board up your windows, better start saving money!
Pricing and availability of hurricane supplies are at a all-time premium.
Prepare Now. Be Safe When The Big Storm Hits!
According to NOAA, Hurricane preparedness needs to start in May. Being prepared for disaster can mean the difference between life and death.
Here are the things to start working on TODAY!
Before a storm hits, trim trees, secure loose outdoor items and store inside a garage or home, secure all doors, cover windows and move your vehicles indoors, or to another safe location.
Know what is covered, and what is not. This is of utmost importance if you live in an active hurricane zone like we do in South Carolina! First thing to do is to call your insurance agent, ak about whether you need flood insurance and get copies made of your insurance policies to add to your evacuation kit!
Whether you are brand new to the neighborhood, or you’ve lived there for decades, make a plan to check in with your neighbors. Not everyone has the funds or capability to evacuate. Make an emergency plan with your neighbors and keep in touch before, during and after the storm!
Learn where and when to evacuate! When it’s time to put a plan in motion, it’s too late to prepare! YOu will need to have all your ‘ducks in a row’ before the first named storm is headed your way! Hurricane supplies should be stocked in your home, a plan for evacuation should include a plan for your pets! (Search for pet-friendly hotels! We love the Best Western and Red Roof Inn chains as most will allow you to bring your pets. Be sure to check with each hotel about their pet policy)
Know when to evacuate and when it’s safe to stay! Evaluate your risk for all things hurricane! We highly recommend you listen to your local news stations for the most updated information about evacuation!
last but not least, this supply list should be an ongoing list! Try to get these supplies now, as it might take a while to gather all that’s needed for the next storm. We know from experience that there will be a run on
- gas
- generators’
- flashlights
- batteries
- cash
- bread
- milk
- cleaning supplies
- plywood
- chainsaws
- snacks
- and many other supplies!
Don’t get caught without the necessary supplies to stick it out at home!
If you can stay, stay! If you are asked to evacuate or seek shelter, please listen to the local authorities!
Prepare Your Home for a Hurricane With Smarthome Solutions
How can you prepare your home for the next hurricane?
Smarthome solutions like security cameras, remote locks, thermostats settings, water sensors and more can help you monitor what’s going on at home, even if you have to evacuate!
Come talk with us now and we will gladly help you prepare, whether this is your first ever hurricane season in South Carolina, or your 25th! We are here to offer support, advice and installation.
Why Your Family Needs a Back-To-School Family Safety Plan
School is back! Schools in the Myrtle Beach area go back on August 17!
Those big yellow school buses will be rolling back out of storage where most of them have been all summer, and the roads will be filled with not just these buses, but also with many young, new drivers!
Road safety and school bus safety is just one piece of the larger puzzle of keeping your kids safe and secure as school starts back up!
What does it take to keep your kids, your family safe as they go back to school?
Planning! This article will give you guidelines for putting together a back-to-school family safety plan!
Back-to-School Means New Routines
The first thing to remember is that going back to school means new routines.
Maybe your child’s mode of transportation has changed, s/he is attending a new school, has a new carpool or babysitter, or maybe you moved and have a completely new routine to establish.
Whatever the case may be, it’s important to write down new routines and make sure everyone in the family is on the same page! That means going over the new transportation plan as a family – during a family meeting, and making a backup plan for when things change!
Back-to-School Brings New Friends
Next, going back to school will bring new friends. That’s an exciting part of growing up: creating new friendships with classmates. This is also the time to keep repeating conversations about what to expect when visiting friends’ home. Talk about gun ownership, bullying, and other things that might happen. If you child is too young for a cell phone, make sure s/he knows your phone number, and be sure to meet the parents and be straight about what you expect. “If you go on the boat, I expect my child to wear a lifejacket at all times.” Your child should know these same ‘rules’ and be expected to adhere to them.
At the same time, when your child brings a new friend to your home, you as a family need to include that person in your family safety plan. Explain the pool safety rules, riding bikes rules etc. Don’t expect your child’s friends to stick to your rules: most likely you will have to reinforce them over and over until they’ve visited a few times. Your responsibility for your child’s new friend includes riding in your car, water safety etc.
This is a family matter – keeping friends safe at your home – so adding it to your family safety plan is important!
Back-to-School and After-School Activities
We also know from personal experience, that as your children grow, new after-school activities are added to their calendars. That means new buildings, new sports complexes, new car pools, new coaches and teammates. You certainly will want to add all this information and expectations toy our family safety plan!
Know who will pick up, drop off, how to reach the new coaches, new tutors, new babysitter!
Back-to-School During Hurricane Season
Last but not least, back-to-school in South Carolina means going back to school during an active hurricane season! Your family safety plan needs to include reference to your hurricane prep plan! Be aware of supplies you might need to purchase now, a generator that might need to be serviced and links to your school districts email and social media platforms as you need to keep an ear out for important hurricane related announcements!
Planning Ahead Gives You Security and Safety for the Near Future
Failing to create a plan, is planning to fail!
Writing down a plan gives you peace of mind and less stress as you navigate the new school year ahead! With as many chances as we’ve seen in the last 18 months, it’s fair to assume more changes and adjustments are on the horizon! Planning and anticipating what’s next can help you alleviate stress and worries. Being prepared for whatever comes at you will accomplish many goals, one is staying safe and secure at home!
Stay safe and secure this fall, and give us a call if we can help you accomplish this in any way!
The All NEW 2021 South Carolina Hurricane Guide for Homeowners
June is the start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season!
The 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 until November 30, 2021. NOAA predicts this will be yet another active hurricane season.
From NOAA:
“Now is the time for communities along the coastline as well as inland to get prepared for the dangers that hurricanes can bring,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The experts at NOAA are poised to deliver life-saving early warnings and forecasts to communities, which will also help minimize the economic impacts of storms.”
What’s New in Hurricane Prep?
As we are coming out of a Pandemic, life as we knew it is no more. Many of us are now working from home, requiring internet access to work. this means that while you may want to “ride out a hurricane at home” as you’ve done previously, this time around you will need to evacuate in order to work because of that needed access to electricity and Wifi!
NOTE: renting a car is nearly impossible these day – to find one available, or to find one that’s affordable. This is a result of a global chip shortage that has disrupted auto production.
We found this article by consumer reports to be helpful in finding ways to rent a car, but in case of a hurricane headed your way, you will NEED to have secured transportation before hand!
While cars are hard to find (to rent OR buy) there is a shortage of other supplies as well, leading to soaring prices. Wood is another hot commodity that’s become up to 3x the price.
If you do not have hurricane shutters, or leftover plywood from previous hurricane prep, NOW is the time to get that wood! While it’s expensive now, it will be more expensive and nearly impossible to find once a hurricane approaches the Grand Strand.
Smarthome Installation: The Best Hurricane Prep Action To Take Today!
Want to keep an eye on you home, your cars, your business, your boat?
Smarthome technology will let you keep an eye in-real-time on what you leave behind when you evacuate. Get your loved ones out of the way of a hurricane and keep yourself abreast of what’s going on at home!
New to the Grand Strand? First Time Hurricane Prep?
In 2020/2021 so many of us have moved and so many new residents have come to live in the Myrtle Beach & Grand Strand area.
If you are new to this area and have never had to prep for a hurricane, we want you to know it is imperative you start collecting hurricane supplies now, and write up a hurricane family plan today!
Start here (FREE DOWNLOAD)
Don’t Get Caught Without a Hurricane Plan!
No matter what you decide: evacuate or stay, you have to have a detailed plan.
A failure to plan is a plan to fail!
Don’t get caught without a hurricane prep plan.
To stay up-to-date on all thing Atlantic Hurricane Season & Grand Strand Hurricane prep, join our Facebook Group today!
Got Hurricane Related Questions? Give us a Call!
We are here to help you if you need guidance.
How to Best Prepare for the Atlantic Hurricane Season 2020
While it’s ‘only’ June, this year more than ever before, we urge you to get ready for this hurricane season!
Why?
Due to the pandemic aka coronavirus aka COVID-19, the world as we knew it has changed! When the first hurricane arrives, and believe us when we say it will, how will you move forward, how will you prepare, how will you get your hands on supplies?
We foresee difficulties in preparing and going through the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season. How you will be able to survive and come out on top compared to previous years?
This includes potential difficulty with:
- evacuating across state lines
- traveling while social distancing
- social distancing in public shelters
- shortage of basic supplies
- being sick at home during a hurricane
- being hospitalized during a hurricane
- helping elderly family members while social distancing
We Do Not Have All The Answers to Hurricane Prep and COVID-19
While we do not claim to have all the answers on how to solve all these potential difficulties, we do feel now is the time to stop, think and prepare!
Now is also the time to demand your local government and leadership step up with their hurricane preparation plan! Find out what Horry County and Georgetown County emergency services are doing to prepare for the 2020 Hurricane Season.
We simply suggest you email or call them to ask what new rules and regulations will be in place for public shelters, traveling and hospitalizations.
Preparing doesn’t mean you need to get all the answers immediately: it means working towards an answer so that when the time comes, you can put your hand on the answers quicker!
We Can Help You With Your 2020 Hurricane Preparation
While we do not know what hurricane might be headed for the South Carolina shore, we do know that proper preparation is vital to survival and a quicker recovery.
We have THREE RESOURCES to share with you!
First, we invite you to join our Hurricane Prep Facebook Group!
We are a one-stop hurricane prep shop and plan to be the group to find answers to questions as a hurricane approaches our South Carolina shoreline.
Second, we invite you to download the updated 2020 South Carolina Hurricane Guide for Homeowners. This guide has everything you need to get started with hurricane prep right now!
Last but not least, check out this shareable INFOGRAPHIC
It’s Hurricane Season. Hurricane Preparation Starts Now
As you enjoy your summer weather, time spend on the beaches, on the bike trails and on the water, do not ignore the fact that a hurricane can be just a few days away!
Once a hurricane makes its appearance in the Atlantic, it will be too late to try to get extra toilet paper, cleaning products or a generator, just to name a few things you might need, as these are already in short supply due to the pandemic!
The Ultimate Hurricane Preparedness Week 2020 Recap
Hurricane Preparedness Week 2020
If you missed the Hurricane Preparedness Week 2020, no worries!
Strand Security cares about their customers. As we have done now for several years, we are here to help you get ready for the next hurricane season.
We have the perfect recap of everything you need to get yourself, your family, your business and your home ready for the Atlantic Hurricane season.
How To Determine Your Hurricane Risk!
Hurricanes bring many hazards to our South Carolina coastlines as well as inland areas. These hazards include storms surges, flooding, tornadoes, strong winds, rip currents and large waves.
Learn about your specific location by know your Hurricane Zone and asking your neighbors about previous experiences, if you are in a new home.
Assessing your risk now will help you plan better for when an emergency arrives during the hurricane season.
How to Develop a Hurricane Evacuation Plan!
Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone. Next, determine who will issuing the evacuation orders during the hurricane season for your area. Your evacuation plan should include multiple options about where to go, depending on the projected path of the incoming hurricane. For those on the South Carolina coast, previous evacuation routes and destinations have included going south towards Georgia, west towards Augusta and Tennessee, north-west towards the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina and due north towards Washington DC.
Always remember your pets when you make your evacuation plans.
What Hurricane Supplies Will You Need?
For those times evacuation is necessary, you will still need to assemble hurricane supplies.
With cleaning supplies toilet paper and face masks in short supply, the earlier you start assembling, the better your chances are of completing your hurricane supply kit!
Know Your Insurance Coverage!
Know your insurance coverage by checking in with your agent now during hurricane preparedness week. Make copies of all insurance policies and important documents – consider scanning them as well and keeping copies online, secured in cloud storage.
How to Prepare your Home for an Approaching Hurricane!
Strengthen your home, reinforce windows, clean up outside. All of these will help you once a hurricane approaches your area. You will run out of time and local stores will run out of supplies; start preparing your home today.
Community Outreach During a Hurricane
Help your neighbors! Community support is of vital importance during a hurricane – even more so now in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you know of senior citizens in your community, offer to help them with hurricane preparations.
Hurricane Planning Starts Now With a Written Plan!
When is plan is only in your head, you will forget to complete certain important tasks. Always write out your plan and keep it handy for when the emergency arrives. it’s as easy as creating a Google Document and sharing it with all family members in the household. That way, you can share in the responsibilities of getting your home, business and family ready for the next hurricane.
The 2020 South Carolina Hurricane Guide Is Coming!
Stay tuned to Strand Security as an updated 2020 South Carolina Hurricane Guide for Homeowners is being worked on right now!
3 Ways To Protect Your Business Property From a Hurricane
Hurricane Preparations Start Now!
If you live in the southeast, you should have a hurricane emergency plan.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 every year and while most hurricanes are active in September and October, a hurricane could develop in the other months.
Hurricane prep for your family, home and business should start now, while the skies are blue and the sun is shining and most people are enjoying the beach.
Doesn’t matter whether you read this in June, July or August – Hurricane prep should be done weeks if not months before a named storm heads your way!
Protecting Your Business Property During a Hurricane
Besides your home and family, your business property will also need looking after during a hurricane.
What steps can you take today, to make that happen and how can you best protect your business property when a hurricane comes to the Grand Strand, or to the place where you reside?
Let’s look at 3 ways you can make an impact today, that will help you secure your business property later!
1) Create a Hurricane Prep Plan For Your Business
Much like a family emergency plan, and a hurricane preparation plan for your family, your business needs one as well.
This written plan should layout how to prepare your building for a hurricane, different scenarios depending on the severity and strength of the hurricane, who will be in charge when the hurricane hits, whom to contact after a hurricane (electric company, water company, contractor, insurance agent), your insurance paperwork and suppliers information and other important details you will need, to keep your business afloat in times of inclement weather.
- Lists are your friend when things get hectic.
- Lists will help you stay focused in a time of chaos.
- Lists can keep you on track to complete all tasks.
You see, panic sets in once the local news stations merely hint at a possible storm, and supplies will be gone before you know it.
As business owners who’ve lived on the Grand Strand nearly 10 years, we’ve seen a few storms head our way and we’ve seen business owners (as well as local residents) be ill-prepared.
Don’t get caught without a plan!
2) Set Up Remote Monitoring For Your Business Property
How scary will it be if you have to evacuate and leave everything you know and love behind?
Super scary! We know first-hand.
However, there are ways you can still keep an eye on your home and business property in case of a storm when you need to hunker down or evacuate; remote monitoring!
We offer this service to monitor your business year-round to
- monitor employees
- prevent theft
- monitor for break-ins and fire
now add
- monitor during a hurricane
as another reason to get a remote monitoring system installed at your business property!
With this system in place, you can watch in real-time what is happening.
This monitoring becomes vital after a hurricane has come and gone as flooding and looting are two concerns that pop up afterward!
3) Order Hurricane Supplies Now
Last but not least, do the following as soon as you can, before any storm hits the Atlantic waters and stirs up the Grand Strand!
- hire a contractor or handyman to cut boards for your business property windows
- buy a generator
- test your current alarm system
- purchase extra batteries from your security company
- get your hands on sandbags (Amazon is great for that!)
We’ve been through several hurricanes since moving to the Grand Strand area from Maryland and each one is as unpredictable as the next.
It’s not just the wind and rain you have to account for, but also flooding afterward!
Your Security, Our Business
Come talk to us about hurricane prep!
What To Do First When a Hurricane Is Headed Your Way
When A Hurricane Is Headed for the Grand Strand
If a hurricane might be on its way to the Grand Strand and Myrtle Beach area, you’ll be monitoring the weather closely. Local news stations will have the latest updates and will be predicting the path of the hurricane, with limited success, of course.
Those who’ve lived here for years know that nothing is set in stone and that hurricanes can and do often change direction.
Usually, you have about a week before a hurricane has made its way to you from the time of the first warning.
So what is the first thing you need to do when a hurricane is headed your way?
Keep reading and we’ll tell you!
Activate Your Family Emergency and Hurricane Plan
You read that right.
If a hurricane is headed your way, the first thing to do it to activate your emergency and hurricane plan.
What do these look like?
They are written plans which detail many steps to take to get your family to safety and include things like
- evacuation destination
- what to bring in case of an evacuation
- important paperwork you’ll need
- where or how to transport your pet
- how to get your house ready for a hurricane
- how to get your business ready for a hurricane
and much more.
The important part of these plans is that you’ve done your homework BEFORE the threat of a hurricane reaches your area because if you don’t have a plan, and that happens, all bets are off to get supplies.
There will be an instantaneous shortage of sandbags, generators and hotel rooms, just a few things that are essential to having a safe and affordable hurricane plan.
Hurricane Supply Tip
Just a friendly tip; amazon sells sandbags and other hurricane supplies, so may we suggest you order items now, right now, and tuck those away for later?
Things to buy now, and tuck away in your hurricane supply kit include
- sandbags
- cleaning supplies
- toilet paper
- paper towels
- garbage bags
- water (1 gallon per person per day)
- mop and bucket
- hurricane candles and flashlights
- power banks
- extra bag of pet food
- extra propane tank for your outdoor grill
- first-aid kit
- generator
Every local outlet will be scrambling to have as many of these supplies on hand as possible, but each time a hurricane heads this way we hear of people missing out on sandbags and other items on this list as the supply lines dry up quickly.
Amazon and online purchasing should be done before the threat of a hurricane because supply lines will close for everyone.
Order now, don’t delay.
The Big One Is Coming, Now Prepare For That Hurricane Hit
If after a few days the weather pattern holds steady and it does look like a hurricane will make landfall or impact on the Grand Strand, or the area where you live, you will need to do many more things to get ready.
As a homeowner vs renter, you are the sole person in charge of your property. You will either need to hire someone to board up your house, or you will need to do it yourself. If you’d made a hurricane and family emergency plan, you will be all set and have these boards cut to size in your garage or storage shed waiting for you to board up your home.
If you failed to plan for this possibility, you will be hard-pressed to find boards at any home improvement store!
Don’t Be Scared, be Prepared!
The Grand Strand is growing! Over 1400 people are moving to our area every single month. Many are arriving here form places that don’t ever see hurricanes so there are a lot of people who do not know how to prepare.
We’ve created the 2019 South Carolina Hurricane Guide for Homeowners.
Please read, download and share! Tag a friend and prepare, just in case. It’s heartbreaking to see people panicked, afraid and just unprepared to either hunker down or evacuate without a plan and supplies. Being ill-prepared could cost them their lives.
Your safety is our business.
How To Prepare Your Business For the Next Hurricane
Grand Strand Businesses and Hurricanes
If you own a home on the Grand Strand, you need our 2019 Hurricane Guide stat, to be ready when the next hurricane hits.
If you own a business on the Grand Strand, you will need that same Hurricane Guide and then some.
As a business owners you are not only responsible for your own family and home, but for the safety of your employees, as well as your commerical property.
Hurricane prep becomes of the utmost importance when you have more than a home and family to take care of.
In this article, we will point you to some important resources to have handy for when the next storm heads toward South Carolina, Myrtle Beach, and the Grand Strand.
Hurricane Preparedness for Business Owners
All of the guidelines and preparations you make to get your home ready for a possible hit during hurricane season apply to your business.
- Preparations need to start now
- Get supplies early before they run out
- Create an evacuation plan
- Know when a hurricane might arrive
All the info you need to get started TODAY is right here!
Just click on the image to find our 2019 Hurricane guide!
There is ONE big difference, however, and that is how you deal with and support employees before, during and after a hurricane.
Let’s discuss two scenarios next!
When Your Business Should Stay Open if a Hurricane Approaches
If your business is crucial to the well-being of first-responders and those not evacuating, you might consider keeping your business open as long as possible as the hurricane approaches.
Examples include
- hardware stores
- grocery stores
- auto part stores
- (some) restaurants
- health clinics
- pharmacies
- security companies
and more.
It might be good to keep only a ‘skeleton crew of employees’ and send off those who want or need to leave to care of young children or elderly parents to do so or evacuate.
When Your Business Should Close if a Hurricane Approaches
If you, however, are a business that provides services or goods not crucial in supporting those who will work during a hurricane like that list we mentioned above, consider closing early to send your employees home so they can prepare their home to keep their family safe!
Businesses who sell non-essential* items or provide non-essential* services like
- law offices
- accounting offices
- retail stores (clothing, shoes)
- amusement parks
- museums
- universities
*for hurricanes
might want to consider closing early.
Roads will get clogged up as people try to evacuate and the sooner people can leave, the better.
When in doubt whether you need to close your business or not (if you are new to the business for example) look at similar businesses in other locations (for us that would be Florida).
A proven track record for staying open or closing early will give you the data you need to make this decision.
When in doubt, err on the safe side and close up shop, or open up for limited hours as the hurricane approaches.
Hurricane Recovery Info for Business Owners on the Grand Strand
In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in 2018, Grand Strand Businesses stepped up big time. Their involvement with Hurricane recovery, rebuilding and outreach did not go unnoticed.
There are many ways businesses can help in the aftermath of a hurricane.
That includes
- donating goods or services directly to hurricane victims
- helping to raise funds for hurricane victims
- offering dry storage space to charities to store supplies
- being present with man-power to help clean up damaged and flooded homes
- arranging food delivery to utility, FEMA and other workers from out of state who are helping
No matter what you do, every little bit counts and does get noticed.
Do good!
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