Greater Wilmington Business Journal
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS GUIDE
SPONSORS’ CONTENT
Page 9
2021 HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS GUIDE SPONSORS’ CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GREATER WILMINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL BY MORGAN MATTOX
While the Cape Fear region continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we all are hopeful that our day-to-day life will return to normal very soon, we are again faced with another potential test of our resiliency, the annual Atlantic hurricane season. With the season beginning June 1, and running through November 30, now is the time to make plans for your family and business to respond in the event our region lands in the path of another tropical system. Our community is no stranger to the strong winds, storm surge, and flooding brought by hurricanes, and that is why those of us who live here for any length of time have become skilled and experienced with hurricane preparations and post-storm clean-up efforts. This year, as we move out of the isolation of the pandemic, we still need to be thoughtful and diligent about making sure any remaining pandemic guidelines are respected and adhered to in the event of a hurricane. While many people have been vaccinated and we are seeing the number of COVID-19 cases drop, the virus is still spreading as the population continues to work toward herd immunity.
This year, hurricane forecasters are predicting an above average likelihood for tropical storm activity in the Atlantic basin, with up to 20 named storms – of which 10 could become hurricanes and five major hurricanes – expected to form. And while we know it’s important to consider these predictions, hurricanes are unpredictable and can cause serious harm even if it’s only one that makes landfall here, sometimes giving the unprepared only days to prepare and evacuate if needed. Avoiding major devastation requires preparing before the threat of a hurricane is even on the radar. So, what can business owners do to prepare while still being mindful of the remaining COVID-19 precautions? Preparations for hurricane season should always be top-ofmind for business owners this time of year. Business owners should develop evacuation and communication plans for employees and their customers. Many businesses are still working with remote employees, so making sure communication of your plan includes those workers is a particularly essential part of any company’s hurricane preparations this year.
2021 HURRICANE PREP GUIDE PREPARING FOR THE HURRICANE SEASON AS A BUSINESS OWNER
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STAY SAFE THIS HURRICANE SEASON