Recently, the state of Florida was hit with one of the worst major hurricanes since 1935, Ian, a massive category 4 that left over $50 billion in damages. While natural disasters are nothing new for the gulf coast, the ever-increasing severity, and frequency of these storms are something that all residents must consider. Hurricane preparedness begins months before each season when cities, families, and businesses look for ways to protect their property and homes against large storms.
Some of the best ways residents in these areas can stay ready during hurricane season are to always have a decent amount of clean, stabilized fuel for generators and vehicles. To figure out how much fuel is needed a good rule is to account for filling the gas tank of each vehicle twice and the generator 4-5 times. This might seem like a lot of extra fuel to have on hand, but in an emergency when the power is out and getting to a fuel station isn’t feasible, it’s well worth it. Another area to pay attention to is having 2-3 gallons of water per person, per day on hand as power outages can also affect the water supply of a city, and boiling water, while an option as well, can use a lot of fuel and take time to heat and cool off when needed quickly. Also, having a supply of at least a week’s worth of food per person that doesn’t require a lot of preparation to make ready for consumption is absolutely critical. Additionally, keeping your vehicle(s) gas tank full and in proper working order will allow you to evacuate in case such a need arises. However, it is advised that you only take items with you that are not replaceable such as pets, medical and tax records, family valuables, and of course, extra fuel. Having a preplanned destination out of the path of the storm, whether at a relative’s or a second/vacation home as well as someone else who knows that destination will keep panic to a minimum and another set of eyes on you as you travel should something happen along the way. In your home, boarding up windows and moving items on the ground to either a second floor or simply elevating them will help protect you further against unnecessary property loss. It is also recommended to keep a list of valuable items and photographs of them somewhere safe so that in the event of a total loss, those items can be added to an insurance claim. Lastly, should you have a family member or friend in the home or nearby who is unable to evacuate due to age or a medical condition, letting the police or other emergency personnel know is crucial.
One of the biggest threats to a business property during a hurricane is that of flooding. With storm surges, some of the flood waters can rise to over 10 feet or higher creating a huge risk and the potential for the complete loss of entire buildings, homes, and businesses. In an effort to mitigate the potential damages, sandbags are often the first line of defense against rising waters and while they have shown to be somewhat effective, their deployment is often slow, and the cost is high. With the adoption of a water-filled cofferdam like the Aqua-Barrier®, businesses, and property owners have the ability to rapidly initiate flood prevention methods that provide unsurpassed protection against rising floodwaters from storm surges during a hurricane. This method is also done at a substantially lower cost than traditional methods like sandbags and provides increased flexibility for the user over rigid structures that often sandbags present. As a result, property owners can mitigate the risk of flood loss during storm events and get back to normal operations faster leaving downtime to a minimum. The other main advantage that an Aqua-Barrier® provides for a business or property owner is the ability to select working heights and sizes to provide a customizable area of protection around buildings, equipment, and any other capital items. The Aqua-Barrier® can also be rented rather than purchased should that be a better option for the financials of the business as well.
For cities and municipalities, the need to keep highways and supply chains moving is the primary reason that the Aqua-Barrier® has been used across the world not just in hurricanes, but for other flooding and dewatering needs as well. The distinct advantage of a water-filled cofferdam is that in an emergency, resources can be strained, and coordination of large-scale sandbagging or other water diversion methods take precious manpower away from other areas that could be in need. With the Aqua-Barrier® smaller crews are needed to place and deploy them as well as the fact that due to their fast installation time, more of them can be installed in a shorter time. When the threat of flooding from a hurricane has subsided, deconstruction takes hours not days saving hundreds of hours that are now free to be used in cleanup or other recovery efforts. These time savings are why the Aqua-Barrier® is chosen over other cofferdams and traditional flood prevention methods. Additionally, due to their long service life, the Aqua-Barrier® represents long-term viability for other municipal or city construction projects or other activities where water diversion is needed making them a smart investment no matter if it’s purchase or rental.
No matter if your city or business faces the threat of floods from hurricanes or you simply need to divert water to complete a new bridge or boat ramp, the Aqua-Barrier® has been the trusted name in water-filled cofferdams for over 25 years. Giving you purchase as well as rental options, worldwide delivery and fast setup, our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff at our headquarters in Waller, TX are ready to help you with any of your flood prevention or construction dewatering needs. When you’re ready to get started, call us at 800-245-0199 or email your project requirements to us at info@aquabarrier.com, and let us show you why Aqua-Barrier® cofferdams are the best in the business.
