Early Saturday morning several semi trucks left Harrison Township, Michigan filled with water damage cleanup and hurricane repair supplies. Jarvis Property Restoration, a leading national disaster recovery company, headquartered in Harrison Township, has committed resources from several company locations, including Illinois and Florida, to assist property owners in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York from destruction caused by Hurricane Irene. The semi trucks will help supply dozens of team members already en route with roof tarps, water damage drying equipment, board up materials and non perishable food items. Jarvis expects to have upwards of fifty team members on the ground by Monday, and has committed all of its resources to helping property owners recover from this weekend’s historical storm.

Jarvis has a strong track record of being one of the first companies on scene following catastrophic storm disasters. The company spent several months in Minot, North Dakota this year, helping rebuild the local community from historical river flooding. The potential for significant flooding and storm damage from Hurricane Irene, will likely place services for water damage cleanup companies in high demand over the next few weeks, and Jarvis responded to the call for additional help to these areas.

Jarvis will focus repair and recovery efforts for commercial and industrial properties. The company’s large fleet of power generators and desiccant dehumidifiers will enable it to tackle projects in excess of one million square feet. Jarvis has tremendous experience with repairing hospitals, retail stores and high rise buildings following flooding disasters and hurricanes. The water damage restoration team is filled with dozens of members certified by the IICRC, the industries highest standard in restoration training. Jarvis’s water damage restoration team is involved with all phases of repair, from water extraction, thru drying and on to reconstruction.

Jarvis Property Restoration in a privately held company founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1979 by Sheryl and Bill Jarvis. Jarvis presently has offices in the States of Illinois, Iowa, Florida and Michigan. Jarvis has worked extensively in FEMA declared emergency zones including New Orleans, following Hurricane Katrina and is registered through FEMA as a first responder. In the summer of 2008, Jarvis spent over six months in the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa leading a team of 1600 workers to cleanup flood damaged government buildings after the Cedar River flooded the entire city and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

If you own or manage a commercial property that has been damaged by Hurricane Irene, you can reach a member of Jarvis’s first responders by calling 1-866-452-7847 or visiting Jarvis Property Restoration online.

Contact Information

Don Marks
1-866-452-7847
dmarks@jarvisconstruction.com

http://www.jarvisconstruction.com

At 11 p.m. Sunday, Irene was located 50 miles in the southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Sustained winds of Irene was 70 mph. Sustained winds of 74 mph is needed to attain category 1 hurricane status, which is forecasted to be achieved for a short period of time by Tropical Storm Irene as it moves over parts of Hispaniola late Monday or early Tuesday. Irene is expected to regain the hurricane status after it emerges off northern Cuba on Wednesday and tracks in the direction of Florida and the Southeast United States on Thursday and over the weekend. Tropical force winds of up to 150 miles extending outward from its center were also recorded.

Latest track maps forecast its movement toward Florida’s east coast. However, official monitoring its course said that it is too early to exactly state where Irene might go. Certain computer models show it to be heading toward south Florida, while others predict it would move along the west coast of the state. The official forecast model shows that the Tropical Storm Irene could reach shores near Cape Canaveral on Thursday night or early Friday. However, they are not absolutely certain about it yet.

Tropical storms like Irene that could become hurricanes can damage and destroy homes as well as other properties. It is quite common for a hurricane to cause severe damages to housing and buildings, which cost millions of dollars in cleanup, repairs and rebuilding. Most structures affected by a hurricane are usually demolished completely and require huge amounts of money for restoration.

Another major impact of a hurricane is the displacement of people whose homes were destroyed by a hurricane. Many people completely lose their homes and most of the times they have to start allover again or be relocated at other places. This has a serious effect on the economy of the affected community.
People residing in the hurricane prone areas must take all the necessary precautions and preventive measures to minimize the damage.

So far, Emily does not pose a risk to gas and oil production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico but conditions seem to indicate that the storm will grow stronger as it continues cutting its path through the Atlantic. Officials are saying that pinpointing the storm’s track is difficult so they are telling residents of Florida to keep an eye on the daily developments and to be sure that personal and business disaster kits and emergency plans are ready.

Emily has yet to be defined as a Category 1 hurricane which is the weakest type wherein damage typically leads to shattered windows and the destruction of older homes and roofs. Emily’s maximum wind speeds are at about 50 miles per hour. For a tropical storm to be classified as a Category 1 hurricane, it must consist of wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour.

The development of Emily as the fifth named storm of the hurricane season is a reminder to people living in Florida that the time is here to secure their homes. Tropical storms tend to produce especially heavy rains and these rains can trigger flash floods which can wreak havoc on property. South Florida should prepare for the possibility of heavy rain and windy weather this coming weekend.

It is important for people in Florida to start planning their hurricane kits, evacuation routes and where they are planning to go, how they will get there and what they will do with pets if and when hurricanes move into the region. It is also important to know what you will do if you have elderly family members that need to be taken care of. Waiting until the last minute is never a good idea. Even though it may seem as though it may be a calm hurricane season with only five named storms thus far, people should know that 95% of all hurricanes occur after August 1st.

New residents of Florida tend not to understand the importance of planning for hurricane season or they simply have a tendency to downplay it. However, ask anyone who has lived through one and the first thing they will say is that they have plans and that they will leave if necessary. When prepping your evacuation routes, you should prepare for the worst-case scenario. You will need cash on hand as credit cards will be useless without power. You also should keep the gas tank on your vehicle filled up because gas stations will be closed when a hurricane is approaching. Many lessons were learned from Katrina, Ivan and Ike and the chances of more devastating hurricanes happening in Florida and along the southeastern US coastline is great – it is just a matter of when.

Accordion Shutters

Accordion shutters are permanently mounted at the side of the window. In order to deploy this type of hurricane shutter you will have to pull it across your window, and it opens out just like an accordion. When not required, it is stored neatly beside your window or door. You can lock an accordion shutter to safeguard your home against theft while you’re not there and can be easily set up by a single person. Although easy to install, these shutters might look unattractive on some houses.

Colonial Shutters

These types of hurricane shutters are 2-piece louvered shutters that are attached to the wall beside the window and come together to cover it. They also stay stored beside the window when not in use and can be installed by a single person. Colonial shutters provide shade and often used to enhance the look of your home. However, they can’t be used for safeguarding your doors and certain kinds may also require additional protection like a center rod or a storm bar.

Bahama Shutters

These kinds of hurricane shutters are 1-piece louvered shutters that are mounted just above the window. Bahama Shutters prop open to provide shade. They are lowered down completely and secured firmly to the wall to provide protection against storms. They can also be mounted by one person and like the colonial ones; they can only be used to protect windows.

Roll-Down Shutters

Roll-down shutters are fixed permanently above the window. When not needed, they roll up just like a window shade and store in a box at the top of the window. They can be manually lowered down by using a hand crank or by pressing the button of an attached electric motor. They can easily be operated by a single person. They are considered to be one of the best methods for protecting your home from hurricanes and intruders. However, they can be more expensive than other preventive systems.

Strom Panels

Strom-panels are usually made from steel or aluminum and are fixed to the walls with brackets or bolts. These shutters don’t affect the beauty of your house as they detach completely when not needed. They are quite strong and an inexpensive way of storm protection. However, they are not easy to handle and may need a couple of persons to set up properly.
It is important that you use the right type of hurricane shutters to protect your home and get it installed by a professional.

Missouri governor Jay Nixon said that he did not want to estimate how high the number of dead will climb to but he acknowledged that the death toll is “on its way up”. There is some good news however following Sunday’s devastation: 17 people have been found alive in the rubble. It is not yet known exactly how many residents have been injured but the number is expected to be high.

Home after home in Joplin is totally destroyed. The destruction looks as though a giant vacuum cleaner dropped down to earth and sucked away houses and trees. Vehicles are strewn about, crushed like aluminum cans and shaken residents are roaming the streets, dazed by the total destruction as they search for loved ones and personal belongings. Officials are warning residents to return to their homes with extreme caution as fires from gas leaks burned around the city and more bad weather loomed overhead.

The tornado that struck Joplin was so strong that it peeled the bark off trees as wind speeds were between 166 and 200 mph, which classifies the tornado as an F4 – the second largest classification with F5 twisters being the most powerful. The very large and powerful tornado cut a path six miles long and over a half mile wide right through the city’s center. A great portion of the south end of the city was flattened with houses, schools and churches reduced to ruins.

Residents of Joplin had only a five minute warning telling them that the twister was about to hit their city Sunday evening after 5pm, leaving them totally unprepared and/or unable to take cover. There were a total of 70 twisters produced from the storm system that hit the area since Friday, including at least 45 tornadoes on Sunday alone. Twisters were reported in seven states, reaching from the Canadian border down to Oklahoma.

The buildup for these devastating tornadoes began on April 25th. After originating around Oklahoma and Missouri, the stormy conditions began moving east. During this movement, the storms met with a strong jet stream. This lead to significant wind shear.

On Tuesday the 26th, a tornado hit Michigan. Lightning and hail also caused injuries and damage on this day. Warnings were released the next day that conditions were still ripe for dangerous weather.

The EF-5 tornado that hit Alabama was in Hackleburg. The other EF-5 tornado struck Mississppi. At just after five o’clock in the evening, a huge tornado hit Tuscaloosa. Less than an hour later, Birmingham was also hit. The strong winds throughout Alabama knocked out phone and power lines. Tuscaloosa and Birmingham’s tornadoes both caused deaths and extensive damage.

It’s almost hard to believe how much damage these tornadoes caused in Alabama. In Lakeview, small buildings’ structures were destroyed. Trees were snapped apart and houses were separated from their foundations. Debris from ruined mobile homes was flung for more than a mile. In Marion County, an entire industrial plant was leveled.

In Phil Campbell, numerous houses, churches and cars were severely damaged or even completely destroyed. In Lawrence County, not only did it destroy a restaurant, but it actually destroyed part of its foundation. Many Alabama poultry farms also endured significant damage. This lead to countless chickens being killed. Because of its size, this destruction is going to have a noticeable impact on the poultry industry as a whole.

Yesterday heavy, drenching rain pounded parts of North Carolina. A total of fifteen inches of rain fell in Wilmington, North Carolina already this week. The county of New Hanover could see anywhere from seven to fourteen inches of rain before the system passes through. Beverly Perdue, North Carolina governor, has put her state in a state of emergency because it is expected that widespread flooding will occur all across the state tomorrow.

Nicole became the fourteenth storm of the 2010 hurricane season. It did dissipate over Florida yesterday but it was the cause of a few deaths in Jamaica as it dumped at least eight inches of rain on portions of the country.

Many areas in the eastern portion of the U.S. have been very dry all summer, including Maryland as water has been absent from many creeks and ponds. However, rain is now falling and it is sure to more than dampen those parched areas of the country. The National Weather Service has a flash flood watch in effect for the greater part of Maryland. Authorities in Maryland have said that twenty-six people including some high school students were injured after a Metro bus hit another bus from behind in the Washington area during a heavy downpour this morning.

Nine inches of rain fell in southeastern North Carolina last night into this morning and officials are urging locals not to drive through water that has washed over roadways. Many motorists lost their lives doing just that when hurricane Floyd hit the area in 1999. In Oneida, Madison and Herkimer counties in New York state there is the potential for up to six inches of rain which could cause flash flooding in those counties as small streams and creeks rise as a result.

Tropical storm Matthew is the 13th named storm of this hurricane season. Word has it that it could make its way to the United States by the middle of next week or on about Sept. 29th. Experts are warning that Matthew could turn out to be the largest threat of the season due to how quickly it is traveling and the current water temperatures. The temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are warmer now than what they were back in 2005 when hurricane Katrina moved into the area, mixed with the warm water and then grew in intensity. The more time this storm remains over water the stronger it will become. If it were to interact more with land, then the storm would diminish in intensity.

U.S. government forecasters are concerned about this storm. They do not yet know where it will go if it makes it into the Gulf of Mexico and how much strength is will lose if it interacts with land. The direction Matthew takes may depend on the strength and position a strong storm that is forecast to develop in the southeastern portion of the U.S. next week. The intensity and positioning of this upcoming storm will determine which path Matthew takes. It could go toward the Gulf Coast or it could be pushed eastward toward Florida or the western Atlantic.

Nervousness over Matthew helped to push natural gas futures higher. There is much concern that the storm will develop into a hurricane and threaten oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico which is home to 31% of U.S. oil production and 10% of gas.

The Weather Services International or WSI has released its final tropical update for this year. The agency now is predicting that eighteen named storms, ten hurricanes and six intense hurricanes of category three or greater will hit this year. These numbers are well above the averages of ten named storms, six hurricanes and two intense hurricanes.

After what was a slow start to this year’s hurricane season, the tropical season is now in full swing. There have been five major hurricanes occurring during the past three weeks which is something that has never before happened in recorded hurricane history.

Hurricane Igor and Julia are likely to begin their northern turn over the next two to three days in the middle of the Atlantic. The potential for a direct strike from Hurriance Igor on the island of Bermuda remains a high probability. The storm is projected to be pushed north, and then northeastern due to a large high pressure air system in the Atlantic which has done a remarkable job of steering hurricanes away from the coastline of the Atlantic this year.

The three major hurricanes could have created billions of dollars worth of damages had their paths led towards major coastlines in the U.S. This year there have already been 5 major hurricanes that have originated in the Atlantic, none of these storms have managed to meet coastlines in the U.S. except for Hurricane Earl which briefly touched the outer banks in North Carolina earlier this month.

As Hermine continues to dump torrential rains on parts of central Texas, a good portion of the area is now under water. There have been and continue to be, hundreds of forced evacuations taking place and deep water rescue operations underway due to flooding in the worst hit areas. There are also miles and miles of roadways closed due to the flood waters.

The San Antonio and Austin areas have been hammered by an extreme amount of rain ranging from three to six inches with locally higher amounts of up to ten inches as of this morning. There are several rescue operations and evacuations taking place in these cities as well as in other communities throughout central Texas as the flood waters continues to rise. These extremely dangerous conditions are being made worse because the rain continues to pour down and is expected to do so all day today and into this evening.

In Killeen, Texas there are numerous reportings of waist-deep flood waters with many vehicles being completely submerged. One driver is confirmed dead when his body was found in a submerged car near Reese Creek. Residents of Reese Creek have been forced to evacuate due to the dangerous conditions the flooding has brought to their small town.

In Georgetown, Texas, there are several feet of standing water swamping portions of the campus of Southwestern University. Interstate 35 is now closed in both directions through the city of Georgetown due to the deep, rushing water. Many homes in the area are taking in water as are businesses and other buildings – especially those located near creeks and streams which have overflowed their banks.

Hermine first made landfall at 8:30pm Monday night just south of Brownsville. It charged on land with gusting winds of over 60 mph. South Texas was the first area to be slammed by the heavy rainfall and tropical storm force winds. Areas already hard-hit by Tropical Storm Alex in June were once again pounded by Hermine. In Brownsville, over six inches of rain fell while higher amounts caused flooding in northern portions of Mexico.