Hurricane season is upon us. Are you ready for it? Here are some great tips to help your home and community prepare for a storm.

1. WHEN A HURRICANE HITS,
WILL YOUR COMMUNITY
BE PREPARED?
You can’t predict what will happen
during hurricane season, but you can
control its impact on your community.

2. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW

3. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW
Hurricanes are serious business. When you manage a property, it’s your
responsibility to make sure everyone who lives and works there is fully prepared.
Make A Plan
• Create a hurricane preparedness plan
• Share your plan with board members,
employees and residents
• Train your staff
• Advise residents on how to secure
their private property
• Instruct vendors to secure equipment

4. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW
Think Digitally
• Back up your community’s records
and files using a remote server
• Store records and files on an offsite
hard drive
• Store hard drives and important
documents in a fireproof, waterproof safe
• Confirm that you can pay emergency expenses electronically in case
signatories are displaced after the storm
• Videotape your community, all your assets, equipment, artwork and
furnishings. Make sure it’s time- and date-stamped

5. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW

6. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW
Review Your Contracts
• What can you expect from your landscaping,
security and construction vendors?
• Check your insurance policies to make sure
they’re active
• Know your limits, exclusions and deductibles

7. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW
Train Your Staff
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities
• Cross-train team members
• Role play pre- and post-storm procedures

8. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW
Make Sure You’re Covered
• Secure an additional line of credit
to cover extra costs due to
storm damages
• Engage with a reputable
insurance adjustor
• Beware of fly-by-night operations that
prey on desperate clients after storms

9. THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW
Check and double-check
• Test generators and fuel supply
• Trim your trees
• Remove debris

10. AS THE STORM APPROACHES

11. AS THE STORM APPROACHES
Prepare Your Facilities
• Remove landscaping debris
• Secure all building materials and equipment properly
• Empty dumpsters
• Double-check generators
• Store or secure outdoor furniture
• Prepare your pool and spa
• Shut down HVAC systems and elevators for the duration

12. AS THE STORM APPROACHES
Tell Your Residents
• Storm-ready your residence
• Save receipts for expenses incurred
for insurance purposes
• Management will enter your premises if units
need to be drained or dried
Provide people with special needs the
Municipal Vulnerable Persons registry.

13. AS THE STORM APPROACHES
Communicate!
• Pre-storm plans
• Storm procedures
• Disaster relief information
• Shelter locations and hours
• Evacuation routes
• Emergency response numbers
• Information on shut downs of major building systems

14. Remind Your Staff
• Provide a list of supervisors’ phone numbers
• Estimate when they should report back to work after the storm
• Worker IDs will be needed to get past checkpoints following a storm
Helping residents secure their units
Make sure waivers of liability are in place.
AS THE STORM APPROACHES

15. AFTER THE STORM

16. AFTER THE STORM
Act Quickly
• Ensure it’s safe to re-enter your property
• Place tarps over open roofs, broken windows and open doors
• Remove debris
• Take steps to secure the community from vandals and looters
• Designate a person who helps residents share information
• Assign a liaison to coordinate with emergency service providers
• Provide post-storm questionnaires for residents to document
damage to their units or common areas

17. AFTER THE STORM
Prep For Rebuilding
• Determine construction needs and associated costs
• Do not accept any offers for money in exchange for releases or
insurance settlements
• Suspend services you won’t need for a while, like lawn or pool
maintenance
• Complete your proof of loss forms with your insurance company
• Meet with licensed professionals for rebuilding

18. AFTER THE STORM
Document any damage with photos to assess
replacement costs and future needs!

19. Weather any storm with the support of North
America’s leading property management company,
FirstService Residential.
Learn more about how we can make a difference in
your community.
www.fsresidential.com