North Carolina Property Owners Endeavor to Be Prepared for Natural Disasters
September 28, 2010
This month, some areas in North Carolina are experiencing heavy rains and thunderstorms. In Wilmington, locals are dealing with stormy weathers, while North Carolina Piedmont had experienced 4 inches of rain last week. In select areas, motorists were trapped because of the water level and were rescued by firefighters and emergency teams. In an effort to ensure everyone’s safety, firefighters went door-to-door warning residents of the water level increase in creeks near their homes, and were advised to seek temporary shelter.
Although fortunate not to have experienced very severe conditions, North Carolina cities, towns, and counties are quite prone to storms. In March of this year, CNN reported that severe storms hammered various areas in the state, with at least 8 tornadoes destroying homes, overturning mobile homes, and ripping neighborhood trees.
In response to this, several organizations working hand-in-hand with FEMA have devised ways and techniques to counter and at least reduce the aftermaths of storms. They want to ensure that local residents and business operators are properly educated about hurricane risks and storm surge flooding. Everyone is advised to assess the risks in the area where their properties are situated, and are required to regularly inspect their property for potential problems that could arise when storms and other natural calamities strike.
North Carolina areas that are frequently hit by storms, such as Cape Hatteras and Morehead City have strictly implemented pre and post disaster plans including the development of evacuation centers and shelters to take care of residents whose homes have been destroyed or severely damaged. The local communities are advised to always pay close attention to hurricane warnings by staying tuned to the radio, TV, and weather updates. To help reduce the extent of damage, the government agencies tasked to handle natural disaster mitigation have been:
1. Promoting land use planning
2. Elevating structures that are within the hazard zones
3. Encouraging homeowners and property owners to secure flood insurance
4. Enforcing effective building standards
5. Advising homeowners and property owners to secure hurricane straps in walls and foundations
The collaboration between government agencies and the local community has certainly gone a long way in helping to address the concerns of the people in the state to ensure their safety and prevent a disaster from becoming even worse.
In addition, homeowners and business owners also seek the help of professional disaster cleanup services when their properties get affected or even damaged due to the storms. There are companies that provide the following:
1. Property repair for water and storm damage
2. Mold remediation
3. Property restoration
These services are very important and in-demand when natural disasters strike, particularly during the hurricane season.
