The beginning of May brought widespread warnings about weather that was expected to be filled with downpours across the central United States. Persistent flooding was predicted for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, as experts discussed possible flash floods in parts of Iowa and across the upper Midwest. AccuWeather also warned of the coming days’ potential for hail, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes in a corridor stretching from Texas to Missouri “and neighboring parts of Iowa and Illinois.”
All of this provides yet another reminder of the potential peril that comes with severe weather season in Iowa. Are you ready?
CIRAS believes that smart Iowa companies should plan for the worst and take immediate steps to identify what the business would do in case of trouble.
To help, CIRAS since 2008 has maintained a Flood Preparation Checklist that includes last-minute steps that companies can take to prepare for a crisis. It includes a list of items that company leaders should plan to take with them in case of evacuation and steps they can take, if time allows, to minimize the damage done to what’s left behind.
Additionally, the CIRAS website contains other information, including how to retrieve important data from flooded computers, advice for dealing with damaged documents and guides to other valuable resources.
Flooded or storm-damaged businesses are urged to contact CIRAS if they need assistance, and staffers will work to direct them to the appropriate resources.
For more information, contact CIRAS program manager Mike O’Donnell at modonnll@iastate.edu or 515-509-4379.