Disaster relief specialist Dedric Robinson advises that although water is probably the most vital necessity in our lives, it can also be one of the most destructive elements. Even minor floods can cause mass amounts of damage to your home. Fortunately, flood control measures are improving, and disaster recovery experts are developing new and effective ways to deal with this threat.
As the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) asserts, everyone lives in a flood zone, so water damage is a risk no matter where your home is located. And it doesn’t take much to cause catastrophic damage; just a few inches of water can cost tens of thousands of dollars when it seeps into your walls and floor. Floods are clearly a major natural disaster threat, and yet most homeowner’s insurance does not cover this form of damage.
According to Dedric Robinson, more should be done to protect and prepare citizens and their homes from the imminent threat of flood damage and other disasters. “Every year thousands of people across the globe face some form of natural disaster. Preparation, education and readiness are key in aiding communities and people in needs,” Robinson claims.
Without this organized effort to prepare for disaster, floods can be costlier and deadlier. But thankfully, recovery and prevention efforts are improving, as proven in a Munich Reinsurance Group study reported in Insurance Journal. The insurance experts in the study found that disaster losses from 2013’s Elbe floods in Germany were lower than from similar flooding in the Elbe area in 2002, and attribute these improvements to preventive measures by local organizations and governments.
The 2013 flooding cost Germany $16.13 billion in overall losses, while the 2002 floods had resulted in much greater losses of $23.4 billion. To some extent, the lower claims can be attributed to the lower intensity of rainfall, which resulted in less flash flooding and infrastructure damage.
But they also emphasize that “flood control structures” played a major role in preventing further losses in 2013. Mobile flood barriers installed in Dresden, Prague, Budapest and Bratislava held up to the flood waters and local regions benefited from “organizational lessons learnt from the 2002 floods.”
After the 2002 floods, the Dresden water utility improved its flood protection systems with better organization and power supply protection, which shortened infrastructural down-time. The company also formed a crisis management team to coordinate a response to the 2013 floods. These efforts appeared to pay off; damage in 2013 was only one-quarter of what it was in 2002 and service was interrupted for just 18 days instead of 160.
Also taking a lesson from the 2002 floods, Dresden apartment managers helped protect car parks and electrical systems by developing an alarm plan that cut damage to these areas in half.
Dedric Robinson suggests that disaster efforts like these have to be coordinated at all levels – from businesses with individual response plans to governments responsible for coordinating flood barriers.
“Efforts to combat catastrophe damage must begin at the local level and work in conjunction with municipalities and governments to effectively prepare for and prevent extreme desolation,” Robinson said. “I am committed to providing assistance to those in need and will continue to help educate communities set in storm paths on how to best prepare themselves.”
While countries like the U.S. and Germany have effective flood response systems in place, there is always more that could be done. And when it comes to developing countries, disaster protection measures are especially important.
“Our loss statistics also show that developing countries in particular can suffer horrendous damage and loss of life from flood events. Just a few measures such as imposing a building ban in highly exposed regions and smart alarm systems can bring about an enormous improvement,” said Peter Hoppe, head of Munich Reinsurance Group’s Geo Risks Research team. The Group advises that developing countries form risk partnerships and insurance plans to prepare for such disasters.
Dedric Robinson, an expert in flood clean-up and disaster relief, suggests that home and business owners should take immediate steps to clean up water damage when it occurs. Such damage can simply be caused by plumbing issues such as a burst pipe or backed up main. But in many cases, the worst damage occurs when excess rain or storms create floods, causing moisture to seep into the building’s structural materials.
Aside from mold damage – which can be threatening to health – water damage can cause crumbling drywall, rusting, and other types of degradation. If you don’t take action quickly, a wet house can go to ruin, so it’s vital to contact an official cleaning technician right away, Robinson advises.
There are official cleaning standards in place to address moisture damage issues, according to Robinson. Clean-up involves infrared probes to measure the damage as well as air scrubbers, air movers, blowers, and other machines that are used to dry the interior walls and sub-floors. If these proper steps are taken, you can usually salvage your property.
While flooding has caused devastating disasters all over the world, lessons can also be taken from each catastrophe. According to disaster relief experts like Dedric Robinson, local institutions and governments should forge prevention and response efforts in order to protect citizens, homes, and businesses.
Carly Fiske contributed to this article.