By Michael Jaffa: September was National Preparedness Month: Let's discuss the disaster readiness of your property

It was apparently a good summer for disasters in NYC. We barely grew accustomed to the enduring predicament of a fragile recovery in the housing sector, as other exceptionally uncharacteristic occurrences in the form of natural disasters stole the summer's headlines. There was a time when we rarely thought twice about disasters; yet the unprecedented and far-reaching implications of this calamity, which still reverberate in our daily lives after ten years, have resulted in a major philosophical shift from our previously naïve belief of "It can't happen to us" to a more probing culture of "What if it happens to us?" With September being National Preparedness Month we thought of taking this opportunity to discuss disaster readiness of your property. Depending on the nature and magnitude of the emergency at hand, government agencies have always played a vital role in administering organized and immediate action. Despite many past instances where total dependence on actual governmental response proved to be inadequate, government agencies still remain as the most reliable "go-to" sources for preparedness information. Currently, most local and state government websites offer information covering all types of emergencies, important contact numbers, news updates, and sample readiness plans for buildings, businesses, and homes. As a starting point it's advisable to enroll in the city's public alert notification program by logging onto www.nyc.gov/notifynyc. Helpful preparedness directives are also available from websites such as www.nyc.gov/oem/hazards and www.ready.gov. Whether the crisis is nationwide or confined to a single unit within a building, a well thought out plan can help alleviate potential for devastation. Although there is really no such thing as a perfect plan, the key to mitigating property damage lies in preparing before the emergency occurs. An important consideration is the likelihood that the property owner or its representative may be the first responder in a crisis. While a government response will ultimately occur, a well thought out plan should require the ability to sustain control of the situation for an extended time before the arrival of adequate help. Although different types of real estate properties may involve different considerations, these tips would apply uniformly: * Re-evaluate insurance policies as most do not include flood or terrorism coverage. * Secure property records, have all vital documents and information backed-up in a protected off-site location. * Proactively vet disaster restoration contractors by thoroughly interviewing them in advance and finding out about their emergency response times and policies. * Prepare a contact list which includes phone numbers and email addresses of all employees and tenants. * In cases of advanced warning inspect your property immediately, secure all non-stationery items to ensure their immobility in extreme weather situations and unclog any backed up drains around the property to aid run-off. * Besides the customary stocking up of essentials like water, non-perishable foods, working flashlights and battery operated radios, don't forget about replenishing the first-aid kit and having some cash available in case credit cards can't be used due to extended power interruptions. * If property damage occurs, have a camera ready to take pictures-insurance claims can be expedited when conditions like rising water levels, downed trees and power lines etc. are adequately documented. With so many thorny issues already facing the real estate industry, it isn't comforting to know that things could get even more complicated with the onset of disasters. Extensive property damage that occurred as a result of hurricane Irene for example, resulted in many lenders and potential buyers demanding new property inspections, thus compounding impediments in securing real estate deals. Disasters are also known to boost arguments for multifarious building code revisions. Present considerations for changes include mandatory installation of sprinkler systems in all new one and two-family homes and requiring high-rise building owners to provide special elevators for fire evacuations, being that some people are not physically capable of walking many flights of stairs. It's evident that adequately maintaining a property ahead of imminent disasters reduces the need for assistance down the road, while the existence of code infractions makes managing things more difficult. We recommend being proactive in eliminating violating conditions in your property by signing up for our free trial alert plus violation monitoring service today. Michael Jaffa is the COO at Jack Jaffa & Associates, Brooklyn, N.Y.