Hurricane Lee and Margot: Hurricane Preparedness for HOA Managers & Board Members
With about two months left in the Atlantic hurricane season, HOA communities need to stay prepared with an emergency plan. Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that this hurricane season will be more intense than initially predicted. They upgraded the season from “near normal” to “above normal”.
Hurricane Hilary marked the first time in 84 years that Southern California experienced a tropical storm, resulting in severe flooding and mudslides. Meanwhile, the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia continues to affect residents in Florida. It caused roofs to be blown off, trees to be snapped, and properties to be damaged.
Currently, Hurricane Lee, a Category 3, is restrengthening in the Atlantic Ocean. Although the exact impact of Hurricane Lee on New England is unknown at the moment, experts predict that dangerous surf and rip currents will affect the east coast later this week. Hurricane Margot turned into a Category 1 storm earlier this week. Although Hurricane Margot is not predicted at the moment to make landfall, it is currently strengthening.
To ensure the safety of your community, it’s important to stay informed about severe weather events and develop a plan. In this post, we curated several resources on effectively communicating and keeping your community safe.
Hurricane Preparedness Resources
National Hurricane Center
Website: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutintro.shtml
The National Hurricane Center provides forecasts, satellite imagery of a hurricane’s projected path, and educational resources on hurricane preparedness.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Website: https://www.noaa.gov/hurricane-prep
On the NOAA site, you can find several guides to help you understand your level of risk, forecasting (including types of alerts and what they mean), and how to stay safe during and after a hurricane.
Emergency Kit
Website: https://www.ready.gov/kit
Ready.gov provides a comprehensive kit that is an excellent resource for you to share with residents and help them prepare for an emergency. This resource covers basic vital supplies, additional supplies, and how to store emergency kits.
Reduce Risk Ebook
Website: https://www.pilera.com/beprepared
Pilera provides a free ebook resource that helps you develop an emergency management plan from start to finish. In the ebook, you will learn the importance of establishing an emergency plan, how to identify risk and build a plan, and what to do after an emergency.
Hurricane Preparedness Fact Sheet (CAI)
Website: https://www.caionline.org/HomeownerLeaders/DisasterResources/Pages/PreparingforEmergencies.aspx
The Community Association Institution (CAI) created a comprehensive document called the “Hurricane Preparedness Fact Sheet” for board members and residents. This document covers how to identify risk, what to do if told to evacuate, and how to manage recovery.
Emergency Communication Plan
Website: https://www.pilera.com/2022/06/hoa-emergency-communication-plan.html
It’s vital for every community to have a communication plan as part of its emergency management plan. This guide covers practice drills, educating residents, messaging with care, and technology. You can check out additional resources on emergency management on our blog here.
Conclusion
When your community has an established emergency plan, you can better prepare for unexpected events, protect your community, and create peace of mind for your residents. We hope these resources help you to prepare for upcoming hurricanes or inclement weather events.
About Pilera
Pilera Software is the premier community and property management suite that has helped thousands of community managers and back-office personnel enhance communications, improve customer service, and manage compliance and operations. Thousands of communities rely on Pilera to improve routine and emergency communication with residents. In our recent interview, learn how a management community handled a 19-month grueling rebuilding after a fire in a Connecticut condo community.
