Prepare Your Emergency Evacuation Plan in Newberry, South Carolina

Storms, hurricanes, fire or flood are a part of life for people in Newberry, South Carolina and have the potential to threaten lives and cause large-scale destruction. Emergencies can happen at any time and can have a big effect on your life. Many people think that they don’t have the time to make a plan, or that they don’t need one. Experience shows that those who plan and prepare for emergencies can reduce the impact of the emergency and may recover quickly afterwards. Taking the time to think about emergencies and making a plan helps you to think clearly, have a greater sense of control, and make better decisions when an emergency occurs. Here how to prepare your emergency plan in Newberry, South Carolina. 

Prepare your home:

• Are you adequately insured? Make sure it covers you for storm damage restoration in Newberry, South Carolina, flooding and water damage, including clean-up and debris removal.
• Check your roof and repair any loose tiles, eaves or roof screws.
• Ensure windows are fitted with shutters or metal screens.
• Trim any branches hanging over your house and clear gutters of leaves and debris.
• Decide how you will look after your pets and what you will do if you have to leave them behind.
• Check that your emergency survival kit is complete and have it on hand.
• Let neighbors know warning has been issued.
• Clear your property of all loose items and bring outdoor furniture, children's toys and gardening equipment inside or under covers.
• Secure boats. Move vehicles/bicycles in a safe place.
• Fill buckets and bath with water. Make sure you have enough water purification tablets.
• If your windows are fitted with shutters, make sure they are closed securely. If not, tape your windows in a crisscrossing fashion using strong packing tape (this will hold broken glass in place).
• Bring children and pets indoors and remain inside until told otherwise.
• Let friends and family know where you are.
• Turn off all electricity, gas, and water; unplug all appliances.
• Keep your emergency kit close at hand.
• Bring your family into the strongest part of the house.
• Keep listening to the radio for cyclone updates.
• If the building begins to break up, shelter under a strong table, bench or heavy mattress.
• Beware the calm eye of the cyclone: stay inside until told it is safe to go outside.
• Comfort children.
  
  

When an official evacuation order is issued:

• Act immediately. You and your family should follow directions; seek a public shelter or stay with friends/family further inland or on higher ground.
• Check with your neighbors that they have received the updated information.
• Turn off all electricity, gas, and water; unplug all appliances.
• Lock your doors.
• Make sure everyone in your household is wearing strong shoes and suitable clothing.
• Take your emergency survival kit; commence your evacuation plan.
• Visiting from out of town? The local council or emergency agency will let you know your best options for evacuation.
• If you cannot take your pets with you, make sure they are in a safe place (garage, laundry, etc). Leave them with food and water. Do not tie them up.
• Comfort children.
• If you are driving when a cyclone hits, immediately park in an area that is clear of trees, power lines, and watercourses. Stay inside your car.

A Newberry, SC  water damage restoration company like ServiceMaster of the Upstate has a responsibility to support people during an emergency and will make every effort to be there when needed. During major emergencies, there are often many competing demands and calls for help, and no emergency service provider can help everyone. ServiceMaster of the Upstate's team responds to calls in a priority order depending on the greatest need for storm damage restorationin Newberry, SC, water removal services in Newberry, SC, mold remediation services in Newberry, SC. 

Individuals and communities must share the responsibility for staying safe. Please be patient and check on your neighbors who may also need support. Have a plan and know what to do.

If you are in need of immediate services due to water or storm damage in Newberry, SC, please call our emergency line at (864) 310-7891, and we will be available to you as soon as possible. We are dedicated to our customers and our community, and we will do everything in our power to restore your home to its pre-damage condition in the event of a storm or hurricane.

Hidden Dangers of Residual Soot After a Fire

As an owner of a house or business establishment, you may frequently be hoping that your property will never be razed by a fire because everything will turn to ashes, and you may even wish for a flood to happen instead.

 

Fire prevention is an utmost campaign that should be participated in by the entire community because this disaster will definitely burn down everything it will come across, that is, from one house to another and even the loss of lives, but the fact still remains that even if this drive has been properly been implemented by several private and governmental agencies, fire damage is still uncontrollable. 

 

Fire may start from the kitchen, an electrical wire fault, lightning strike, smoking cigarettes and children playing with fire at home. However, with due diligence, fire damage may be reduced through the proper observance of the basic steps to manage the hostile fire. 

 

Fire damage is a disaster and it could hardly be prevented except to minimize its dreadful effects such as, but not limited to, the death of the victims and damage to properties. 

 

Do you know that the resulting damage is not only due to the fire alone but from the combination of soot and smoke, which can directly lead to different health issues?

 

Damage caused by a fire has the potential towards outrageous devastation and can result in terrible suffering.

 

Soot, on the other hand, refers to a mass of impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. It is composed of tiny particles that when inhaled could cause breathing problems including asthma, bronchitis and other severe respiratory issues.

 

Furthermore, soot pertains to the smoke residue on surfaces; it is a complex mixture of substances, which is often called fire smoke, and it should not be treated as a speck of simple dirt. It should be cleaned up appropriately using advanced equipment being used by professional technicians; otherwise, it may pose a health problem to the cleaner if not protected with the proper gear. 

 

In contrast, smoke is a complex mixture of different gases and particles as the product coming from the various burned materials. It can also result in eye, nose and throat irritations, nausea and vomiting. Apart from that, it can cause respiratory irritation, shortness of breath, asthma and heart disease.

 

In view of the foregoing, fire damage restoration, smoke and soot clean up should always be designated to the discretion of a professional restoration company to ensure the safety of the residents.

 

If you are looking for an expert restoration and clean up company in Saluda South Carolina, you should consider ServiceMaster of the Upstate. We are one of South Carolina’s leading restoration companies and we restore fire-damaged properties and clean up smoke and soot particles for the commercial, residential, and insurance market.

 

For your needs about fire damage restoration in Saluda SC, Saluda SC smoke damage cleanup and soot removal company in Saluda South Carolina, please visit our official website to learn more at https://www.servicemasterupstate.com/fire-smoke/soot-and-smoke-damage-greenville-spartanburg-laurens-newberry-saluda/.

 

For you query that requires an immediate response, please call us at (864) 310-7891 for a 24-hour emergency service.

 

Our courteous personnel is standing by to hear from you soon to extend our utmost service for your paramount satisfaction. 

Hurricane Warning Signs to Look Out For

If you have been in a few bad storms, pounded by rain and wind, then you realize how important it is to keep an eye on weather systems and know when to beat a retreat to avoid getting hypothermia or being benighted on the side of a mountain. The good news is that there are lots of warning signs and signals that help you predict what's coming your way. Here are the hurricane warning signs to look out for. 

Hurricane warning signs are not apparent until a hurricane has gotten close to making landfall. Those who live in areas where hurricanes are likely to strike should create a disaster plan and keep an eye on weather forecasts, particularly during hurricane season.

1. Increased Ocean Swell

Around 72 hours before a hurricane makes landfall, ocean swells increase to about 2 meters (6 feet) in height. Waves hit the shore about every nine seconds. This is one of the earliest signs of an approaching hurricane. As the hurricane gets closer to land, waves will hit the shore with greater rapidity and increase to close to 5 meters (16 feet) in height.

2. Barometric Pressure Drop

The barometer begins to drop roughly 36 hours before a hurricane makes landfall, slightly when the hurricane is still 30 hours away and steadily plunging as the storm nears. While some believe a drop in barometric pressure can aggravate arthritis or lead to headaches, the most reliable way to detect a drop in barometric pressure is by checking a barometer. Lower barometric pressure will also cause people to experience lower blood pressure.

3. Wind Speed

Wind speed increases as a hurricane get closer to land, from around 18 kilometers per hour (11 miles per hour) 36 hours before landfall to as high as 167 kilometers per hour (104 miles per hour) one hour before landfall. It’s gusty and grows steadily stronger, blowing unsecured items about and removing tree branches.

4. Heavier Rainfall

Rain moves in around 18 hours before the hurricane. It’s a driving rain that comes through intermittently, worsening the closer the hurricane gets to land until it becomes a continual downpour around six hours before a hurricane hits. This may lead to flooding in low-lying areas.

Weather patterns significantly influenced by heat energy from warm seas and hot, humid air around the equator are often categorized as tropical systems. Hurricanes can have damaging effects on your home. No matter how uncertain the situation is, ServiceMaster of the Upstate, a water damage restoration company in Greenville South Carolina, is here for you for your storm damage restoration in Greenville with the guidance and support to help you throughout the restoration process and get your life back on track. We offer water removal services in Greenville if your home or business property has been damaged by the hurricane. Our professional team is trained in every aspect of the storm and natural disaster restoration in Greenville. A team member will personally answer the phone immediately, 24 hours a day, and we will respond to your call within an hour of you making it.

Call ServiceMaster of the Upstate at (864) 310-7891 for 24-hour emergency services. The most important factor is the response time, we will be there within an hour of any disaster. Call us today!

Flood Prevention Tips this Hurricane Season

The hurricane season can bring about disasters and damages when you are not prepared. Hurricanes are usually associated with wind damage, but flooding poses a significant risk to your home. Flooding causes damage to infrastructures, power outages, and sometimes loss of life. However, all of these can be prevented if one is prepared ahead of time. 

If there is a hurricane warning in your area, you must find a shelter that can protect you from strong winds or flooding. Look for a safe place for high winds and also a place which is not subject to flooding. Evacuate when told to do so. You would not want to get trapped in an area prone to flash flooding. Plan your evacuation zone with your family. You may be asked to leave quickly, so planning for evacuation to avoid flooding should be done ahead of time. 

Invest in a flood insurance policy which may be able to reimburse you with the amount you used to purchase sandbags or water pumps to protect your property. Make sure to keep track of your expenses by keeping the receipts of the equipment of materials bought for flood prevention. 

If your property has been affected by the flood, you need a water damage restoration service such as ServiceMaster of the Upstate which has fully-trained service technicians knowledgeable of water damage caused by floods and hurricanes. Leave the cleaning and restoration of flooded areas in your home to the experts as they are more knowledgeable on how to assess the water contamination and the damage caused by the flooding. If your property gets flooded, you need water removal services of ServiceMaster of the Upstate with service areas in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and surrounding areas. ServiceMaster of the Upstate is a known and reliable storm damage restoration company in South Carolina, dedicated to making sure your property is just the same as it was prior to the flooding.

Flooding is considered as one of the most destructive natural disasters, especially when it becomes a flash flood. Flooding can trigger landslides and massive damage to property. It cannot be prevented, but the risk to your life and property can be minimized. Research the location of your house, making sure that it does not stand on a floodplain, else you are prone to flooding. If your house or property is built on a floodplain, buy flood insurance to help you out with your losses if a flood affects your property.

Hiring water damage restoration services may help you communicate properly with the insurance agency when you need to reimburse expenses for your losses after flooding disasters. Always listen to weather forecasts, especially with impending heavy rains and storms. Weather forecasts usually include information on flooding risks and evacuation advisory. If flooding in your area is not avoided, immediate water and storm damage restoration services can be provided by ServiceMaster of the Upstate to restore your home or property into its pre-flooded state. If you need immediate assistance, call ServiceMaster of the Upstate at (864) 310-7891 for a 24-hour emergency service.