Guidance on Rebuilding and Repairing Safer, Stronger after Sandy
 As Sandy recovery continues, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers new insights and guidance focused on key rebuilding issues to help residents and business owners repair or rebuild so that their property is stronger and more resilient.
"While everyone is anxious to get back into their homes or resume business operations as quickly as possible, it is critical that people also focus on how to prevent damage and destruction from the next big storm, because there will be another one," said IBHS President and CEO Julie Rochman. "Taking actions based on the building science guidance from IBHS will help ensure properties are better able to withstand the next extreme weather event."
The Northeast was most recently hit by Irene and Sandy, both of which were largely flooding events. However, such storms—including future events—can bring high winds, which wreak havoc on property. Now, before the winds blow, is the time to harden communities in the Northeast by strengthening individual homes and businesses, and putting realistic, actionable plans in place for before, during and after a storm.
"We need to need to think of buildings as systems and take a holistic approach toward repair and rebuilding. It only takes one weak link in the system for an entire building to fail," Rochman said. "Fortunately, some of the most effective and valuable property protection techniques are quite cost-effective, particularly when measured against the many human and financial costs of heavily damaged or destroyed homes and businesses." |
