Is Your Site Hurricane Ready?
Alpha EMC, Your National NPDES Stormwater Management Company
As most of us in the industry are well aware, the Atlantic hurricane season starts the 1st of June and lasts until the 30th of November. The time to plan for what actions to take before, during and after a storm is now. Even though many areas of the country may not be on the Atlantic coast, remember that tropical systems can affect areas 300 to 400 or more miles inland. Here are a few tips that will help.
- Keep sites clean, and be sure to properly store any debris (wood, foam insulation, etc.) so that they do not become “missiles” which could damage surrounding structures.
- Place Port-O-Lets inside garages, or bundle them together so that they do not blow over.
- Make sure all fuel tanks and other chemicals stored on site are fully secured and are not kept near water bodies, wetlands or storm inlets.
- Assess your inlet protection. If a very heavy rainfall event is expected, take steps necessary to prevent excessive flooding on site by placing a piece of wood or concrete block behind the inlet protection so as to act like a notched weir.
- Make sure the outfall from your Stormwater management system is free of debris and will allow excess Stormwater to discharge quickly.
- Review discharge points and decide whether additional BMPs are needed. Remember that the performance standards for your site are required so that the water quality is protected at the maximum extent. What works in the dry season will not be substantial enough during hurricane season.
- It may take weeks or even months for vegetation to become fully established in order to stabilize inactive or completed areas; plan your sediment erosion control / site stabilization well ahead of time. Waiting until a storm is headed your way is a guaranteed recipe for failure.
- Establish a “clean up plan” ahead of time, and identify responsible team members. Do not keep your plan a secret. Make sure all team members know what to do, and make sure it is in writing.
- Remember to be safe.
Alpha EMC is an Environmental Management Corporation that works to create partnerships to guide and manage areas of environmental and safety compliance issues. Contact us for more information regarding our services.
