Prior Planning for Hurricane Season

Prior Planning for Hurricane Season

by W.E. (Bill) Armbruster

While the below plan deals with hurricanes, it is based on thirty years of planning for and experiencing various kinds of natural disasters. Whether it be blizzards, tornados, floods or hurricanes there are common aspects of a plan that are universal. There are some natural disasters that the resort may have prior notice of. Others may come as a complete surprise. Regardless, a well thought out plan will allow the resort to respond quickly and effectively to a natural disaster and minimize damage to the resort, the repair time needed and the disruption to the owners and guests.

As the 2004 Hurricane Season proved in Florida, a resort does not need to be near the beach to benefit from having a well thought out and executed hurricane plan. Both resorts that will be evacuated and those that will not, need to have a plan to meet the needs of the resort, the staff and the owners and guests who are staying there.

Before Hurricane Season:
Meet with Local Government Hurricane Officials

The initial steps for a Hurricane plan should be taken before the Hurricane Season begins. One of the first steps is to meet with the local governments officials that will be in charge when a hurricane strikes an area. This can be the police, fire depart and/or an appointed official. It is good for all concerned for the officials to meet with as much of the staff as possible at the resort. This allows for local government officials to let the staff know what they plan and to have input from the resort on what their needs are and set up a dialogue on how the resort and the government can work together. Often, the police and fire departments, will want a staging area on the beach where they can operate from. If the resort has the space, this is a good opportunity to work with the local officials and build a relationship. There are several issues that should be settled during this meeting especially for resorts that will be evacuated.

Should the water be turned off at the building? This decision varies from town to town. Some want it left on, others want it turned off. If acceptable to the local authorities, leaving the water for the fire systems on and shut off the domestic water to prevent contamination of the system if the potable water supply is compromised.
Should the electric to the building be turned off? This decision may also be one that the local government wants to make a determination on. If the city does not want the power turned off it is still a good idea to turn off the power to air conditioner, electric motor and pumps, elevators, any high tech equipment such as telephone switches, computers, etc. This will help prevent damage to this equipment due to electrical surges from the power going on and off and lightning that may accompany the hurricane.
Determine what the process will be for getting the staff back to the resort. Generally, the local authorities will only let property owners on to the beaches initially. Several years ago, in North Carolina, this resulted in several hundred owners who had copies of their deeds, getting onto the resort property without any staff being there to address the damage or clean up. Once the City understands the situation, they will generally arrange for passes or a procedure to allow the staff back to the resort either ahead of or at the same time as the owners.
Determine a contact person with the city that the Manager can go to with problems and issues and for information.

Owner Considerations

If or how owners and guests at the resort will be compensated if they are required to evacuate, prevented from using the resort because of damage or just do not have all the amenities they expect should be determined at this time. This policy should be recommended by the management company, approved by the Association’s Board of Directors, published to the owners and known by all the staff that may have any contact with the owners. In the midst of an evacuation, is not the time to try and be explaining why the owner is not going to be compensated for having to leave early.

Resort Hurricane Plan and Staff Input

The next step is to create the Hurricane Plan. The plan should include what to do before, during and after the Hurricane. This includes such actions as removing furniture from balconies and common areas, moving files and computers to areas where they will not be damaged if windows break or rising water gets into the building, how and when units will be inspected before and after an evacuation, how utilities will be turned off and back on. It is then important that each department head go over the plan with their department staff members. It is amazing how often; the staff will bring additional critical ideas to the forefront. During this period it is important to think through how certain tasks will be accomplished. For example:

Where should pool furniture be placed when removed from the pool deck? Often the plan is to put it in the pool. This has a number of negatives. In beach front properties, the pools can have several feet of sand deposited into the pool. Having to unbury the pool furniture can delay cleaning the pool and getting it operational. Inland properties can have various types of debris deposited in the pool which may damage the furniture and/or make it more difficult to clean up the pool. If possible, pool furniture should be placed in interior hallways or in an activity center. For properties that are not evacuated, this makes the furniture available for guests and staff who want to stay in the safety of a corridor or in an activity center with others. The plan should include replacing the furniture at the pool.
If the property is going to be evacuated or an owner/guest decides to leave, it is important that the unit be checked to ensure that it is secure. Included in this procedure, is checking to make sure that the refrigerator is empty and the ice bid cleaned out and the ice maker turned off. It is likely that power will be off a period of time. Rotting fish or other food and mold and mildew can destroy a refrigerator in a relatively short period of time. Once the unit is secured, the unit should be marked in such a way that it is obvious from someone walking the property. Small electrical ties can be used for this purpose. This procedure has the added advantage of allowing the after storm inspection to remove the ties to show the unit has been inspected. If at all possible, plan to have units cleaned and made ready for new occupants. Many occupants will leave before the last minute and there may be time to clean the unit. It may be difficult for the entire housekeeping staff to return to the resort immediately after the evacuation order is lifted. Having as many units as possible ready for occupancy when the evacuation order is lifted is a positive position to be in.
Determine what should not be done. For example, do not drain the pools before or after the storm, except with a qualified and insured pool company. The amount of rain that comes with a hurricane will totally saturate the ground around a pool. If the pool is even partially empty, the pressure from the saturated ground can crack the pool or push it out of the ground.
The plan should also include a plan for the owners/guests before, after and during the storm if the resort is not evacuated. This includes how the owners will be kept informed and where the owners/guests can congregate, how the area will be prepared and planning activities so they have something to occupy them and food and beverages for them.

This plan needs to be in writing and works best as a chart with specific tasks and descriptions. Each task should be assigned to a particular position so that the person holding or assigned that position knows what their responsibilities are. The task should be ordered by the time frame for example:

When a Hurricane Watch is issued, Maintenance person number 3 removes all signage from the pool area.
When the Hurricane Warning is issued, Housekeeper number 12, inspects all empty rooms on 12^th floor, cleans out refrigerator, ensures all furniture is off balcony, locks and pins sliding doors, turns off the HVAC system at the circuit breaker box and puts electrical tie on outside door.
One hour before evacuation is scheduled or when notified of evacuation if no prior warning issued maintenance supervisor number 2 turns off gas to building and locks the valve in off position.

Cash, Credit Card Receipts, and Computer Files

A plan for how cash, credit card receipts, and computer files are going to safe guarded needs to be determined at this time. A copy of computer files should be made and removed from the site. Credit card receipts should be removed from the resort along with other files that may not have been put into a computer system. A plan for the cash should be addressed that allows for it to be safe guarded and allow for cash to be brought back to the resort after the storm passes. This should not be the manager or accountant carrying several thousand dollars home. This plan needs to be determined based on the amount of cash necessary to have on site for normal operations and the potential for not having access to cash through normal banking sources.

Insurance

Meet with the Resort’s insurance agent and review all the coverage for completeness and adequacy. The policy should include Law and Ordinance coverage. This will address the loss if the local government refuses to let the resort repair the structure or puts additional requirements on making repairs to meet new code requirements. Flood insurance should also be considered even if the resort is not near the ocean. Flooding can occur if the surrounding area is higher than the resort. Additionally, storm drains can become a source of flooding if the storm system is overwhelmed by the volume of rain. Wind storm coverage is not always included in the master policy. Most ocean front locations require a separate wind storm policy. Additionally, wind storm coverage generally has a high deductible. A resort valued at 50 million dollars with a 2% deductible will have to come up with a million dollars before the insurance starts to pay. There are additional policies, often called difference in condition (DIC) policies that can be purchased which will buy down this deductible to a more manageable number. This is also a time to discuss how claims will be handled in an emergency. Insurance policies require that the insured take reasonable action to prevent further damage from a loss. At the time of the loss is not when the manager needs to be trying to contact the agent to find out what the insurance company/adjuster is going to need to process the claim. Having an adjuster show up the day after the loss is good but no plan should be based on that unlikely assumption. The agreement with the insurance company should be based on the manager being able to take immediate action to put the resort back in operation. Unfortunately, some resorts that are susceptible to hurricane losses have insurance agents that operate primarily in areas of the country that do not experience hurricanes. If the manager has any concerns that the agent is not informed about what coverage should placed on the resort or are not familiar with the state laws regarding coverage, a local qualified agent should review the policies for adequacy and completeness.

It is important to keep the Board of Directors informed on insurance coverage and to determine if they feel the coverage is adequate. It is also important to have a plan in place to specify how the deductible will be funded. If the plan is to cover the deductible from the operating or reserve accounts and then assess the owners with a special assessment, it is advisable to inform the owners of this in a newsletter or as part of a mailing to the owners well before a hurricane strike so that they are not surprised by it.

Equipment and Supplies

Immediately before the storm or after it, is not the best time to be looking for equipment and supplies. Determine what the needs and risks are and purchase the necessary items well before they are needed. This is a time to draw on the resort staff’s expectation of what they are going to need to make immediate repairs, put the resort in operation and service the owners and guests before, during and after the hurricane. There are a number of items that are generally good for all resorts to have.

Portable generators. The number of generators should depend on the resort size and its operation. There are a number of considerations. A resort that will not have a mandatory evacuation will probably need more than one that will remain evacuated until power is restored. In determining the number of generators, there are a number of potential uses.
- TV and VCR power for one or more locations.
- Ice machines.
- Refrigeration
- Lighting and fans for use in an activity center and/or lobby.
- Recharging battery operated equipment, i.e. cell phones, hand held tools, etc.

It is not suggested that portable generators be used to power phone switches, computers or other electronics that can be damaged by power fluctuations.

The purchase of generators should include spare air filters, spark plugs and multiple gas cans. It is recommended that the gas cans not be filled until a day or two before the hurricane is expected to strike. If the gas is not used for this purpose it can be used for other purposes. It generally not a good idea to store gas for extended periods.
Light sources. An adequate number of flash lights with extra batteries are a must for the staff. For guests and for common areas such as bathrooms, hallways, etc., disposable chemical light sticks are a good source of temporary light. They can be purchased in bulk from various supply houses and have a long shelf life. As with other supplies, they should be purchased well before any storm is expected and locked away until needed.
Cooking facilities. Bar B Que grills and other gas operated cookers are a good option. An adequate number of gas tanks for an extended period should be on hand. Both the grills and cookers can be used for recreation purposed after the needs for the storm has passed.
Pumps. A gasoline operated pump that is capable of moving a significant amount of water and water with sand and debris is a must. This can be used to drain elevator pits that would take an extended period for the sump pump to drain. It can also be used to drain water from basements, garages, low lying areas and from swimming pools, (do not drain a pool unless a qualified and insured pool company is supervising this operation).
Tools for removing debris. Equipment such as chain saws, rope, axes, heavy gloves, etc. should be purchased well before there is a hint of an expected storm. Safety equipment such as goggles, ear protection and gloves should be purchased at the same time the tools are.
Outdoor portable light sources. These are readily available at hardware store and generally have two 500 watt quartz lights on them. These can be powered by portable generators. They can be used to identify a dangerous area such as downed power lines or wash out areas and can allow staff to work after dark if necessary. These lights can also be used at other times of the year for recreation activities.
Telephones. Telephone lines that do not go through a phone switch but are connected directly with the phone company have immense value. Phone switches may have battery backup but this will not sustain a long term power outage. Additionally, phone switches are susceptible to lightning damage which may not be known until power is restored. Additionally, as was evident in Orlando, cell phone systems can be overwhelmed by the volume of calls even if the infra structure is not damaged. The number of hard lines needed may vary from resort to resort but the minimum would be one for the manager, one for the front desk and one for the maintenance director/manager.
It is also suggested that T shirts with the resort name and hurricane team be purchased and stored. This identifies the staff to the owners and guests as well as building a sense of being part of a special group at a special time for the staff.

While it is not part of equipment or supplies, this is the time to trim back trees with dead limbs, and palm trees and to ensure that areas around storm drains do not have a build up of plants or debris that could inhibit storm water run off.