Weathering The Storm: What You Need To Know For Your Business
Waste Cost Solution's Adi Andrews Offers Details To Consider Before & After The Storm
The summer storm season is fast upon us as communities throughout the eastern seaboard of the nation, along with the Golf Coast brace for unexpected tropical storms and hurricanes. Thus far, more than two months into the tropical storm season, five named storms have formed: Tropical Storms Ana, Bill, Claudette and Danny, along with Hurricane Elsa and more recently Tropical Depression Fred. The latter is currently lurking in the path of Florida and the Gulf Coast.
Traditionally the months of August and September are the most active months for hurricanes making landfall in the United States. September also holds the distinction of being the busiest month for hurricanes in the nation.
When a tropical storm or hurricane is waiting in their midst, restaurant and business managers have enough to worry about preparing for the forthcoming storm at both their homes and businesses. However, there are safeguards to help keep your establishment safe prior to a storm, as well as details to take notice of, if a severe storm or tornado should strike your community, commented Adi Andrews, Escalations and Sales Specialist, Waste Cost Solutions.
Precautions To Take Before The Storm…
If a hurricane is in immediate reach of your area and you’re under a hurricane warning, it’s a good idea to ensure that your exterior waste containers are as empty as possible. This may mean extra pickups, if time allows, prior to your haulers being told by DOT to “get off the road”, noted Andrews. Keep in mind, your haulers may not be servicing you right away after the storm, so this is an important measure to consider in continuing to operate your business.
It is also best to clean any debris from the enclosure to avoid the debris from flying around during the storm. You should also ensure that the doors of your outdoor enclosure are perfectly shut and not flaring around. The containers should be as secure as possible, Andrews added. “We’ve seen instances where a non-secure container rolled several hundred feet away. Remember these are winds as strong as 100 MPH or more,” commented Andrews.
What To Anticipate In The Storm’s Aftermath…
Depending upon how severe the storm is, it may take some time until things are fully functional and up and running normally, noted Andrews. The DOT may restrict haulers from the roads and will only allow them to go back on the roads for a certain amount of time at the outset. In addition, the landfills will be overwhelmed with debris and waste. This may cause the landfills to shut down earlier, which will eventually affect the ability to service if the drivers’ trucks are full and cannot be dumped anywhere.
Also keep in mind that haulers will not credit your establishment for any services not executed, when a storm takes place and for the surrounding days that follow, added Andrews. What’s more, service routes will be altered. Your location may not be serviced at the time it’s normally serviced. The haulers will be playing catchup with their limited hours, trucks and personnel, Andrews noted. They will also be handling their “imperative clients” first. Imperative clients consist of hospitals, fire stations, police stations, governmental buildings such as shelters and army bases, nursing homes, schools and then restaurants followed by other clients.
When your hauler does make it to your establishment, they may not completely service your site from any excess overflow. Keep in mind that they are going to attempt to get “a little from everyone, in order to get back on track” and not leave anyone hanging, Andrews added.
OCC routes will also be neglected if it is between MSW and OCC. OCC is not as great of a concern to the health department, commented Andrews. During a storm crisis, the health department understands what is going on within the area and will be extremely lenient. It is a complete rarity that they will even show up under these conditions.
If you believe there is going to be a need for a roll-off dumpster, we suggest getting one before the storm hits if time allows. After the storm, there is no telling which roads may be blocked. This will make it difficult for both your regular trash hauler, not to mention the delivery of a roll-off dumpster, Andrews concluded.
As the industry’s waste, recycling, and sustainability leader, Waste Cost Solutions specializes in commercial waste management, recycling and concierge facility services, as well as construction, residential and emergency roll-off dumpsters. Our team of expert customer support advisors are here to assist you 7-days a week. Contact us today at 800-509-5399 or email us at help@WasteCostSolutions.com
Note: Some of the page images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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