Severe Weather and Keeping Safe from Storms and Hurricanes

4/10/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Toms River responds immediately to your flood and storm damage emergencies.

Severe weather in Ocean County can happen at any time. While it may be difficult to prepare for the unpredictable, there are steps you can take now to help ensure you are ready when disaster strikes.

Before the storm:

• Build an emergency supply kit
• Develop a communication plan
• Unplug any electrical equipment that doesn’t need to be used in case of lightning
• Secure outdoor objects
• Shutter or board up windows and doors

During the storm:

• Stay indoors
• Use radio or TV to keep updates on changes
• Avoid contact with corded phones
• Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords
• Avoid contact with plumbing as they can conduct electricity
• Stay away from doors and windows

After the storm:

• Never drive or walk through a flooded areas
• Stay away from storm damaged areas
• Stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately

The first step to becoming weather ready is to understand the types of hazardous weather that can affect and impact where you live and work. Learn the important terms that may happen in your area. Here is a list of common weather terms for the Ocean County area that you may hear before, during and after a storm:

• Storm surge is the abnormal rise of water generated by a storm’s wind. This can travel several miles inland, especially along bays, rivers and estuaries.
• Flooding is when water covers or submerges normally dry land with a large amount of water and can persist for several days after a storm has dissipated.
• Winds from storms can damage and destroy buildings.
• Tornadoes can accompany landfalling storms and can occur in rain bands away from the center of a storm.
• Dangerous Waves can pose significant hazard and damage to coastal residents’ structures and businesses, even when the storm is more than 1000 miles offshore.
• Watch is for conditions that are possible to become a for severe weather event. Remain alert for further warnings.
• Warning is when severe weather has been spotted or indicated by radar. This means that severe weather is expected and to take cover immediately.

Floods and storms don’t wait for normal business hours, and neither do we. You can depend on an immediate response from our highly trained technicians at SERVPRO of Toms River.