Nobody likes thinking about the worst. But if the unthinkable were to occur tomorrow – a fire, a flood or other destructive weather event – would you be ready with a response plan…a plan you could instantly put into action?

At Minkoff Company, we’ve been property restoration specialists since 1949. The best advice we can offer our clients is to be prepared long before an emergency ever happens! The following are a few suggestions and ideas of things that may make your situation go more smoothly in the event of an emergency.

• Have a plan of action prepared in advance and practice that plan. Include a chain of command and keep an updated emergency contact list with 24-hour call numbers.

• Become familiar with your insurance policy and know your policy’s limitations and exclusions. Stress the importance of tenants having their own policies.
  
  
• Pre-qualify your contractors in advance and be certain that you have their 24-hour call numbers up to date. During an emergency is not the time to interview/audition a new contractor.
  
  
• Be prepared for spectators other than the fire department and other emergency responders and consider how to control the scene (e.g. media, solicitors, passers-by).
  
  
• Network with other properties and local resources such as schools, hotels, churches so that in the event your building is evacuated, you have somewhere close to send your tenants or hold a “town hall meeting” to inform them of the current situation.

Since 1949, the Minkoff Company has been the name to rely on for accurate restoration after the effects of fire, water and other types of property damage. From our headquarters in Beltsville, Maryland, we've served clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. We've provided emergency services and full-scale restoration on over 20,000 projects.

If you have any questions about this article or services we might provide, please visit Minkoff Company on the web at www.minkoff.com or call Kara Permisohn at 301-347-1111. 

To visit the 2009 Friends of IREM page, click here.

Kara Permisohn
kpermisohn@minkoff.com