Hurricane Safety: What Your Business Needs

Preparing for Hurricane Dorian With The Right Solutions

Hurricane safety when facing down a major storm is a big concern. Preparing your home and business for flood or wind damage will ensure you are able to pick up day-to-day activities when the storm passes.  Hurricane Dorian is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane, and you want to make sure your business is prepared to face its effects. Storm surge, localized and widespread flooding, and high wind speeds will whip through Florida cities. If you don’t have the right hurricane safety essentials, you could be left with incredible damage.

The National Hurricane Center reports that regardless of Hurricane Dorian’s exact track, heavy rains are expected to occur over several days, which can result in widespread flooding. Tornadoes are another issue when planning for this hurricane safety because they often occur in the rain bands away from the center of the storm. Having a plan when storms strike is just as essential as having the right solutions when Hurricane Dorian is in your own front yard. Keep reading for essential hurricane safety supplies.

Large and Small Flood Protection Walls

With hurricanes comes storm surge, rising canal waters, and torrents of falling rain. Preparing for the possibility of rising flood waters means keeping in mind what areas of your business or home are most flood-prone. Depending on what kind of flood protection your home or business needs, you might choose different types of flood protection walls. For heavier flood protection, flood barriers are ideal. For smaller-scale flood protection, sandbags would be a better choice.

Emergency Water Storage  and Fuel Storage

Having access to reliable emergency water storage could mean the difference between life and death. Water supply provides access to drinking water and non-potable water for cleaning, other daily activities, and even fire suppression. Hurricane safety means prepping enough water and fuel before the rains come.

Water storage bladders can be made with fabrics that satisfy NSF61 and FDA requirements for potable, drinking, emergency water storage. When needing to safely store temporary drinking water for a group of people, having flexibility in water storage capacity is important. Hospitals, nursing homes, and shelters will need a viable water storage solution when storms come. Barbados hospitals and other organizations are maintaining 50,000 gallon water tanks for use during Hurricane Dorian for emergency water storage.

Having a tough, rugged flexible fuel tank is ideal when facing down a hurricane. Stationary fuel storage during an emergency is absolutely necessary. Our flexible bladders can range in capacity from 25 to 210,000 gallons. Flexible fuel storage is useful in disaster relief, fuel storage in remote locations, and FEMA emergency relief efforts.

Following a Step-by-Step Hurricane Safety Plan

Having a ready supply of hurricane supplies with the right plan will make sure your business and home are prepared for the worst possible scenarios. Flood protection walls, emergency water storage, tarps, and drip diverters are all part of a bigger plan to keep your business and home safe from Hurricane Dorian. Visit our Emergency Supplies page for information on the essential supplies needed for hurricane safety.

For even more comprehensive information on prepping your business, visit FEMA’s  Business Protection Toolkit to learn how you can practice hurricane safety before, during, and after a hurricane.

Call us today at 1-772-646-0597 and ask to speak to a hurricane preparation specialist. 

The Midwest Floods of 2019

Preparing for the Worst by Learning from the Past

Spring flooding in the Midwest has caused incredible damage to cities, towns, and agriculture, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimating $37.3 billion in damages. The catastrophic floods in the Midwest and Plains states, reminds us of the Great Flood of 1927 and 1993. But we’ve learned that it’s the conditions and preparation that precede the flooding that determine how much damage will go unstopped.

Potential causes of massive flooding:

• Snowpack and frost
• Moisture level in soil
• Streamflow and precipitation

These factors are all potential contributors to flooding. Precipitation in seven of nine Plains and Midwest states during fall of 2018 outweighed precipitation during fall of 1992. Similarly, eight of nine Plains and Midwest states had a wetter winter during 2018 and 2019 than in 1992 and 1993.

As the soil becomes saturated, it has trouble absorbing heavy rainfall, causing runoff into creeks and rivers.  As the rivers fill up, the potential catastrophic floods increase.

In 1993, a cluster of large thunderstorms, known to meteorologists as mesoscale convective systems, dropped an incredible amount of rain on the Midwest and Plain states. Conditions for rainfall like this most often depend on air temperature.

Surviving a Flood

Three lives have been lost due to the flooding in the Midwest this year, according to NOAA’s weather and climate disaster table of events. The Department of Homeland Security has tips for facing floods natural disasters.

• Always evacuate if you are told to
• Don’t drive around barricades
• Stay off bridges
• Avoid contact with flood water
• Move to higher ground

The time to prepare for a flood is now. Know the flood risks in your area, make a plan, and subscribe to your community’s emergency warning system. Learn evacuation routes and plan ahead to protect your home and businesses.

Proven Solutions When Stormwaters Rise

According to NOAA , while states in the upper Mississippi and Missouri River basins (Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa), are at risk of flooding, states in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River and portions of California and Nevada are also at risk of minor floods.

Landslides, erosion, and overflow of water systems are all potential effects of large-scale flooding. Sediment left behind as a result of flood waters, reduces water quality affecting the water supply.
Flood waters can also contain debris and nutrients, which can affect the water quality, encouraging the growth of algae.

Controlling sediment dispersion with a turbidity curtain helps to control erosion, blocking sediment and protecting wildlife and surrounding vegetation. Curtains like this are used to keep bodies of water silt free and keeping the quality of water high.

Needs can vary when protecting your home or business from the effects of flood water. Contact GEI Works at +1-772-646-0597 to receive one-on-one assistance with all your flood prevention requirements.

GEI Works, Inc. Preparing for Hurricane Irma

Sebastian, FL:  With Hurricane Irma tracking towards Florida, GEI Works is looking for ways to help its employees and members of the community be better prepared.  As a local manufacturer, GEI Works carries emergency supplies, spill containment and compliance products for facilities and construction sites.  We have witnessed the devastation that Hurricanes cause in Florida, and with heavy rainfall and high winds the least of the damages that can occur, we know to plan and prepare early for all eventualities.

Check out our Emergency Supplies Page Here or call us at 772-646-0597 for in-stock items you need, or quick turn-arounds on products we manufacture.

Knowing your risk, getting prepared, and staying informed are just a few steps you can take to get ready for Hurricane Irma.

Know Your Risk

To search for general information about risks in this area, visit https://www.ready.gov/florida. Check out NOAA’s historical hurricane tracks tool at https://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/ to check the severity and frequency of past hurricanes in here in the Central Florida area.

Get Prepared

Take action now to be prepared for hurricane Irma!  As the storm approaches, it is often too late to get ready. Make sure you have family evacuation and communications plans, and update your emergency supply kit.  GEI Works is on hand with pre and post-storm products such as sand bags, drinking water storage tanks, and spill absorbents.

Complete a Family Communication Plan

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Plan how you will assemble your family and loved ones, and anticipate where you will go for different situations. Get together with your family and agree on the ways to contact one another in an emergency, identify meeting locations, and make a Family Emergency Communication Plan

Download the FEMA App

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The FEMA App located here,  includes disaster resources, weather alerts, safety tips, and a new feature that will enable users to receive push notifications to their devices to prepare their homes and families for disasters. The app also provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and recovery centers, tips on how to survive disasters, and weather alerts from the National Weather Service.

Stay Informed

Know where to go for trusted sources of information during a hurricane event. Sign up for alerts from your local emergency management office so notifications, including evacuation orders, go directly to your phone and email. Monitor local news for hurricane watches and warnings in your area and follow directions of local officials. Make sure you have a battery -operated or hand-crank radio available should the power go out.

Batten Down

Making sure to prepare against worst-case early, is important.  Those who have been through hurricanes in Florida know to prepare sooner rather than later, as supplies will move quickly.  Preparations should include:

§  Placing storm shutters or plywood over windows

§  Filling up with gasoline early

§  Having a minimum of 3 days of non-perishable food, water, and toiletries on hand

§  Ensuring you have pet supplies and medicines on hand

Know Your Zone

Evacuations are more common than people realize. Make yourself familiar with your community’s evacuation zones, so you’ll know exactly where to go.

Remember: if a hurricane threatens your community and local officials say it's time to evacuate, don't hesitate -- go early.

Additional information is available at www.ready.gov/hurricanes or call us at 772-646-0597 or visit us at: www.geiworks.com

Preparation for a Rainy Day … a Disastrous One

Storms swirled off Hurricane Joaquin in early October, dumping historic levels of rainfall on South Carolina, flash-flooding populated areas, and overwhelming dams. On Oct. 3, Charleston recorded rainfall that ranged from 10 to 13 inches – record levels, according to the National Weather Service. The state is facing a possible $1 billion in cleanup and will be receiving federal disaster aid.

The storm’s death toll reached 17 in South Carolina, where 250 roads and 100 bridges are still closed. Coastal areas of North Carolina were also affected by the devastating storm.

The evening news covers these storm stories in detail. But the intricate planning and preparation that goes into such emergency responses often gets scant coverage. Behind the scenes is the unfolding of a process, carefully crafted to ensure minimal disruption and loss of life.

The key is preparedness

When states, counties and communities are faced with natural or manmade disasters, preparation is essential. That’s why these governing entities have supplies and equipment in advance of the storm. It better enables emergency personnel to enter harm’s way and respond to the profuse human needs in the disaster’s wake.

Items that help safeguard infrastructure from floating debris, water contamination and other storm hazards are already in storage long before the event’s forecast. Planning allows emergency personnel to help survivors, keep infrastructure in place, and pave the way to recovery.

Water storage

Among the first considerations is ensuring that potable water is available when a storm fouls existing supplies. One solution is to bring in a reservoir or tank for setup in an easily accessible area. Open-top or self-contained flexible tanks are a popular option among many emergency response teams because of their compact storage, lightness and small number of moving parts. The onion tank, named for its shape, is an open-top tank. Flexible and collapsible, the tank stores easily. When emergency response teams send in tanker trucks of potable water, the hose connects to a fitting on the onion tank. Its walls rise automatically to contain the water as the tank fills. Once drained of water, the tank’s PVC material won’t rot or grow mildew, and can be returned to storage safely.

The drinking bladder water tank is another option. These flexible “pillow” tanks lie flat and can store up to 210,000 gallons of drinking water. Because both the bladder and onion tanks are collapsible, they require only minimal space for storage, making them an optimal choice for disaster preparedness.

Booms and absorbents

Floating booms are also important for the control of debris headed into flooded areas, water intakes and bodies of water. Debris booms are an effective means of either deflecting or containing buoyant trash. Absorbent booms are deployed to control the spread of hydrocarbons or chemicals that can be released during a flood, further minimizing the negative impact on the environment. 

Dealing with the aftermath

Once the flood waters recede, a host of challenges remain. Low-lying areas where pooling remains will need to be pumped out. But simply pumping stormwater runoff into storm sewers or area waterways can introduce contaminants and high sediment content. This creates turbidity and other pollution problems that disrupt fragile ecosystems. Cleanup teams can pump large dewatering bags full of the sediment-laden water. These bags are made of a filtering geotextile that permits water to escape, leaving the suspended materials in the bag for disposal. Dewatering tubes function in the same manner but can accommodate much greater quantities.

Geotextile filters protect grates and stormwater drains from contaminants that are all-too-easily transferable into surrounding waterways. These best-management practices are another critical component of environmental protection after a storm.

Planning makes the difference

So be sure to consider exactly what your region might need in case of a disastrously “rainy day.” Prepare yourself and get a jump on the event so you can help lessen its catastrophic impact before it strikes. Call the experts at GEI Works for more information. Call (+1) 772-646-0597 or toll free at (888) 701-9889.