In the past 100 years, Atlantic hurricanes have wreaked havoc as far north as Halifax, Nova Scotia and as far south as the Caribbean islands and Central America. We all have witnessed the vast devastation these storms caused. The key lesson from these major storms is that a well-thought-out emergency action plan may significantly reduce direct and indirect damage. The plan should include actions before, during and after a hurricane.
Emergency Action Plan Checklist for Marinas and Yacht Clubs
Prior to Hurricane Season
______ Develop a formal plan: distribute the plan to employees to allow them to prepare for personal as well as work responsibilities during a hurricane.
______ Assign responsibility for all physical plant, operations, equipment and housekeeping. Designate team leads and critical personnel. Update contact information.
______ Review plan with co-tenants and subcontractors.
______ Size inventory and orders during hurricane season to minimize loss.
______ Anticipate inventory of vessels during hurricane season (permanent, transient, new or brokered); plan to secure at your facility or move inland.
______ Vessels stored on land: cradle or have 4 to 6 jack stands chained together with bases protected from shifting or sinking; secure with lines or web straps to ground screws or preset concrete eyes; nest vessels gunwale to gunwale and strap together.
______ Non-owned vessels in your care, custody or control, at your facility or elsewhere: provide your written Hurricane Action Plan to vessel owners, as notice to those in mooring, listing or work order contract.
______ Request vessel owners file hurricane plans.
______ Know all vessels, owners or designated representatives, captains and caretakers: have contact information (home, work and cell phone numbers and addresses during hurricane season).
______ Conduct a complete facility housekeeping audit: clean open areas and structures, remove debris and trash, unneeded items; store or secure all materials and supplies; inspect and service building walls, roofs, windows, doors, docks, piers, wharfing or slipfingers, pilings, electrical and lighting installations, fuel and natural gas dispensing equipment, portable and fixed fire-fighting equipment, mobile lifts, hydrolifts and railways.
______ Stock emergency equipment and supplies: extra mooring lines, lumber for fender boards, chafing gear, screw anchors, flashlights, batteries, portable generators, electrical and manual bilge pumps, hull patching and repair supplies.
72 to 48 Hours Prior to Hurricane Watch*
______ Notify personnel and start hurricane plan action.
______ Place mobile or waterborne operations personnel on standby to start securing operations.
______ Begin facility protection: police yards, marina and dock areas; stow or secure loose equipment.
______ Secure all flammable, explosive or other hazardous materials, including compressed gas cylinders, in a safe, protected and secure area.
______ Dry storage or other facilities with outside “racks” for small boat and trailer storage: remove vessels from racks and secure elsewhere.
______ Facilities with “rack” storage inside buildings located in lowland: evaluate need to evacuate all vessels.
______ Take down large signs, antennas or other removable items subject to wind damage.
______ Begin facility protection precautions: storm shutters or other protective equipment should be ready/installed for use.
______ Process and mail paperwork on hand; secure other paperwork in safe place.
______ Store expensive equipment and products in inland warehouses.
______ Reduce inventories where feasible and delay orders for materials, stocks and supplies.
______ Contact vessel owners/representatives to begin removing vessels from facility, if required.
48 to 36 Hours Prior to Hurricane (Hurricane Watch*)
______ Complete vessel removal and fueling.
______ Fuel and secure remaining vessels.
______ Secure fueling operations and equipment.
______ Secure in protected areas all equipment not needed for storm preparation: forklifts, trucks, travel-lifts, mobile cranes, workboats.
36 Hours Prior to Hurricane (Hurricane Warning*)
______ Complete vessel protection and securing with final check of doubled mooring lines, tied off with sufficient slack, and fender boards/protective equipment in place.
______ 12 hours prior to storm, release personnel not staffing facilities during storm with instructions for reporting back after storm.
______ Lock and secure all perimeter access points: fences, gates and building doors.
______ Lowland locations: secure docks, field buildings and offices; evaluate trailers; turn off power, natural gas and city water lines at main switch/valve/meter; secure fuel supply tanks/lines at shore side installation; disconnect and store electric motors, pumps that are at or below ground level.
______ Evacuate all personnel from all vessels.
______ Notify location management and local police when location is secured and evacuation complete.
During Hurricane
______ Remain inland if possible; for staffed facilities, use extreme caution if outdoor activity is needed.
______ Do not move or re-secure loose vessels.
______ Do not go outside during storm “eye” or lull.
After Hurricane
______ Begin preliminary damage assessment: wear boots and gloves.
______ Watch for snakes, alligators or wild animals in grassy areas.
______ Watch for downed electrical wires; generators may be operating and the lines may be “hot.”
______ Smell for leaking natural gas (no matches or candles).
______ Check for leaking gasoline or diesel fuel at fueling docks and tanks.
______ Don’t start electrical equipment that has been submerged until checked and repaired.
______ Report broken sewer and water mains to utility or facility owner.
______ Check building, ship and dock electrical wiring before turning on main power switch.
______ Inspect, repair/replace all wet small appliances.
______ Prepare written damage assessment.
______ Report theft and vandalism to local police: obtain incident report and number for insurance and IRS loss reporting.
______ Document repairs made prior to insurance adjustment.
______ Prepare for 3rd-party vessel owner inquires; notify of vessel damage as soon as possible; provide status on facility and berthing options.
______ Handle controlled access to facility: yacht club members/nonmembers; marina tenants/non-tenants; media representatives; outside salvage contractors, repairers, estimators, surveyors, adjusters and appraisers.
*National Hurricane Center 2010 definitions
ACE USA, through its operating companies, is a leading provider of property, casualty, and accident and health insurance, as well as financial products and risk management services. To learn more about ACE Marine Facilities insurance products for commercial marinas and yacht clubs, please visit http://www.acemarineinsurance.com/ or contact Kim Finlay at [email protected].
Reprinted with permission from the ACE Group.