As the recent "Bomb Cyclone" that began with a major snow storm in the west and spread tornadoes and flooding as it moved east showed us this week, storms will hit whenever and wherever they want. While we can do all that we can to prepare, there is no predicting what the recovery will look like. But you CAN prepare for your recovery using a few simple processes and using a powerful CMMS– like FacilityONE ;).
- Create a Storm Recovery Checklist.
A big part of storm recovery is being prepared in the first place. Just as you plan preventative maintenance to reduce reactive maintenance, so can you be prepared for storm recovery and clean up. A powerful CMMS will allow you to attach checklists to any work order (preventative or corrective) so that you have your workflow in one place and don’t miss any details. IF you know a large storm is coming, schedule a before and after checklist to follow.
- Troubleshoot Electrical Issues.
Who knows what damage a strong storm will wreak on your electrical system. Tracing connectivity with a CMMS will help you troubleshoot and ensure safety when trying to find out what parts of your electrical system have been damaged. ESPECIALLY if your facilities have taken on water, there is no need to send anyone on a recon mission with a flashlight and rain boots. Knowing exactly where to go in a critical situation will save time, money, and even lives!
- Access Critical Plumbing Information.
Water on water can create some serious chaos. Storm damage and flooding of buildings can and will cause plumbing backflow, pipe blockages and clogs.
If you need to bring in vendors to extract and jet the pipes after the storm you can access interactive blueprint technology to know to exactly where to start, and let your vendors get right to work. And you can attach their invoices to work orders that attribute directly to the equipment they serviced!
- Document all Damages and Repairs.
No doubt this is going to be an unscheduled cost. Being able to track where every penny went will help for future planning and make your insurance recovery process that much more efficient. A robust CMMS will allow you to create special cost 
centers and work order categories to help track expenses. In fact, you can even document your inspections walks in real time with photo and pinpoint mapping to your floorplans to document damage to walls, doors, windows, hallways, etc. Additionally, you can track every bit of material, labor, and contractor invoices to each work order—and even trace it directly to a piece of equipment. Your receipts and resources are tracked in one easy to access place so that you can focus on getting back to normal operations.
Storm recovery is no easy task, but you can be well armed and prepared to jump into action once the clouds pass. Contact sales@facilityone.com to see how we can help you stay prepared and continue the path towards operational success.
