The questions below both concern natural disasters — hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires. Unlike our column from March 2019 exploring qualifying for disaster relief contracts, this first question is from a PRO asking what equipment they could obtain to better serve responders and victims of natural disasters.

The second question is from a PRO who operates a business in an area where strong windstorms and thunderstorms are prevalent. The concern is how to be as proactive as possible in protecting the company’s office and yard.    

Question: Our company is located in an area where both forest fires and flooding are prevalent. Recently, we referenced a previous “At Your Service” column and registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the System for Award Management (SAM) in the Disaster Response Registry. We also now have an account on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website.

What types of equipment should we consider buying to get more involved in this type of work?

Answer: The registration process with all of the various governmental regulations and acronyms is challenging but worthwhile and you should be proud of your acceptance into this vital marketplace. As far as purchasing equipment specifically for this market, we urge you to be cautious. In a perfect world, you would never want to be contacted to provide service in these situations. To understand the demand, ask yourself how often major disasters occur in your service area.    

With this in mind, we would initially recommend you concentrate on maintaining an inventory of special event units, sinks and hand-wash stations that could be used in disaster relief situations as well as in the normal course of your business.

Networking with other FEMA-approved PROs is an excellent way to begin to get familiar with the disaster relief process and the types of equipment needed. As you may recall, the FedBizOpps website is where contracting officers post help wanted ads for approved contractors. Examine this site looking for ads in your local area, the equipment requested and the names of other PROs who have responded in the past. Reach out to these other PROs introducing your company and offering to work together in the event of any natural disasters in your area.

In the course of your investigation, you will find that some companies specialize in disaster relief on a regional or a national basis. These companies are ideal to partner with in handling the aftermath of a disaster. In addition, you can also get an idea as to the type of specialty equipment that they offer.

Some of the equipment disaster-related PROs offer include:

·   Restroom trailers

·   Shower trailers

·   Combination restroom and shower trailers

·   Laundry trailers

·   Sink station trailers

·   Potable water trucks

By working together with companies that offer this specialty equipment, you may eliminate the need for your company to purchase specialty equipment.

If you currently do not own restroom trailers, the purchase of a restroom-only trailer could be utilized for special events as well as in disaster situations.

A combination restroom — shower trailer could be used in various circumstances. Special events such as triathlons and other such sporting events are ideal for these combination-use trailers.

Another multi-use trailer is a sink trailer that features 6-8 sinks on the outside of a small trailer which houses both the freshwater and graywater. These trailers are useful at large events such as food tasting and other food-related events.

Becoming a FEMA-approved company is an excellent strategy for PROs. Once approved, network to become familiar with this marketplace, which is unpredictable at best. As discussed, this is one area that you hope that you will not be called upon on a regular basis! We would not recommend purchasing new equipment to be used exclusively for disaster relief efforts; however, purchasing dual-use equipment is a good way to grow your business while being prepared for natural disasters if needed.   

Question: Our new business is in an area where tornadoes, windstorms and thunderstorms are common. What are some tips to protect our facility and yard from these weather events?

Answer: We adhere to the Boy Scouts motto, “Be prepared.” Here are some thoughts and ideas that have been shared by PROs throughout the years: 

Protect the Company

Find an insurance agent that specializes in covering businesses and obtain the proper types of insurance. Each state may have varying regulations and coverage limits, but an experienced agent will be able to recommend the best coverage for your company.     

Have an established routine of regularly backing up and protecting your company’s data. In today’s business environment, technology runs our businesses. Daily backup of all data is essential and storage of the backup data either on a remote server or in the cloud is critical. 

Protect the Employees

With employee input and discussion, prepare a company safety manual that also incorporates natural disaster planning. Conduct regularly scheduled employee safety meetings and make natural disasters a key element of these discussions.

Maintain an up-to-date emergency contact list with each employee’s phone number, address and secondary contact name, address and number.

Store necessary supplies in the office such as bottled water, emergency blankets, rain gear and hard hats. Some PROs have also invested in two- to three-day emergency food kits.

Keep a well-stocked and frequently inventoried first aid kit.

A small generator to run some lights, heat and air conditioning is a good investment.

Various phone charging backup units are available, and we have even heard of solar-powered chargers. 

Protect the Yard

Strong winds can wreak havoc in the yard. If at all possible, having a fenced area around the yard is an excellent investment.

Keeping units stored in squared clusters provides stability. Storing as many units as possible in groups next to the fence is an effective strategy as well.

Park trucks and transport trailers in front of as many cubed units as possible. With trucks and trailers in front of the units and fencing on the sides, restrooms will be protected from all but the most dangerous winds and storms.

Store sink stations in between rows of units where possible.

This is another area where employee feedback and discussion in natural disaster safety meetings can produce ideas to protect other equipment in the yard.

Training and preparing for natural disasters are essential for all businesses. Hopefully, these procedures never need to be implemented. Employee feedback is important, and it shows the high level of care and concern that the company has for each member of the team. 

This article was originally posted April 2023.