Are you ready for catastrophe season?

There are many upfront costs for insurers, restorers and other companies entering a catastrophe zone. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Hurricane season began officially on June 1, and as any experienced responder knows — it only takes one storm making landfall to create chaos. Working a large catastrophe event takes several things: manpower, equipment, planning and resources. At last year’s Preparing to Respond event in Florida, Rusty Amarante, director of operations for BELFOR Property Restoration, outlined how their company responds, and what steps any company entering a catastrophe zone should take in order to protect their workers and prepare for the harsh conditions they will encounter.

“Companies need to scale up or down according to their capabilities,” he cautioned. “It costs more and hurricane work is not for the weak at heart. You need to be willing and prepared to deal with it.”