A natural disaster can be one of the most devastating events in a person’s lifetime. Families can be uprooted, and entire neighborhoods can be destroyed in the blink of an eye. As our local CSRA community, along with many other neighboring states begin to recover from Hurricane Helene, it is important to know what resources can help in the wake of a disaster. As a local business owner, making your employees aware of health concerns, as well as the available resources to assist them will help bring a quicker recovery and give them the opportunity to overcome adversity. This will bring unity within your team and give your organization a core connection that will produce a better work environment and a more unified effort to achieve future company goals and growth.
Coping with the effects of a disaster is as important as preparing for the crisis itself. Knowing the possible dangers of the aftermath will keep all safe and prepared as they begin to rebuild, repair, and make their work, home, and environments safe again.
Unhealthy Conditions
After a hurricane or large flood, there are vast amounts of water in places where there usually is not. This can cause a variety of health concerns for people living in or around the affected areas.
Floodwaters often contain sewage, chemicals, and submerged objects like glass or sharp metal. In addition, the water can contain disease. For these reasons, you should avoid wading in the contaminated water or consuming food that is submerged, even if it is in sealed containers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges parents to thoroughly wash and disinfect any toys that were exposed to floodwaters before letting children play with them. The CDC warns that not doing so can result in diarrhea or other stomach issues.
Anyone living in an affected area should also take precautions against mosquitoes, which breed rapidly in standing water. An influx of mosquitoes means a higher chance of contracting the West Nile or Zika viruses, both of which are carried by the insects. The CDC recommends using bug spray with DEET to stay protected.
Proper Cleanup
Improper cleanup after a disaster can lead to more health issues, according to the CDC. Mold grows quickly in warm, damp environments and can cause respiratory infections or worsen allergies.
When cleaning, the CDC recommends wearing rubber gloves and boots to minimize direct contact with the contaminated areas. Hard surfaces must be cleaned with soap and water and disinfected with bleach. Fabrics should be washed in warm water, and upholstered furniture should be dried in the sun and sprayed with disinfectant. Simply drying things will not be sufficient; everything must be disinfected.
As employers, there are several steps that can be taken to ensure that your workplace and your employees are safe after the impact of a storm. Even after your employees recover, it is important that your business can quickly prepare to reopen to welcome your customers back to a sound structure and employees who are ready to serve them once again. Click HERE for a Disaster Recovery Checklist to get your business started on the fast track to disaster relief recovery.
Help Coping
Beyond physical stress, mental and emotional stress runs high during and after a disaster. It is important for business owners to encourage employees to utilize available resources to cope with the devastating experience so they can move on. This means, talking with loved ones, seeking professional help, or taking advantage of their company’s employee assistance program(s), which can put them in touch with coping services.
Many times, when we are faced with immeasurable challenges, reaching out to others, and sharing what we can give makes an incredible pact. It could be a kind word, a caring gesture, a hug, bottled water, food, or physical assistance with a neighbor’s clean up. A local friend who had a tree that fell through their roof said that they were amazed as local neighbors brought them food and helped with clean up. Building community is what we all seem to forget in the business of life. We forget that the most important things in life are not the “things” that we own, but rather the joy we find in relationships that bring strength to our lives. The ConceptHR work family sends prayers to our local community, as well as our neighboring states while we all work together showing our faith in human kindness to triumph together over any adversity we experience.
If you need resources for disaster distress: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline or to connect with a live Disaster Distress Helpline crisis counselor 24/7 via SMS from the 50 states, text 1-800-985-5990.
Stephanie Brantley has been Senior Account Manager at ConceptHR for 17 years with sales administration being her top priority. She works in many capacities, including launching new clients, establishing partners, and undertaking marketing outreach – all accomplished within what she considers the BEST work-family and business environment.
Stephanie enjoys meeting with local clients in person, listening to their specific needs, and sharing company core values through relationships and service. Her work history is rich in accounting, payroll tax preparation, office administration, and client relations.
She has a supportive husband, two children, and will soon be “GiGi” to her first grandchild.
Knowing that God gave her the compassion to help others for a reason, her career choice is
also a personal mission to be kind to others, serve with humility, and nurture the ConceptHR
client community.
As the ConceptHR saying goes, “Your Vision, Our Passion,” Stephanie is determined to see
clients achieve their desired success with the support of the ConceptHR team of experts while
building long-lasting relationships.
