Puerto Rico & the Rest of the Caribbean Prepare for Hurricane Season

On June 1st, the Atlantic Hurricane Season began and doesn’t end until November 30th.  Puerto Rico and other locations across the Caribbean are no strangers to the damage and devastation that hurricanes can bring.  Just last month, the National Weather Service’s Hurricane Center also reminded people of the need to be prepared and the potential damage that can be done by hurricanes during National Hurricane Preparedness Week. 
 
Although some properties can be completely destroyed by a powerful hurricane, many others survive with varying degrees of damage caused by high winds, heavy rains and flooding.  Many of these properties can be repaired, but there are potential environmental hazards people need to be aware of before rebuilding begins.
 
Any water damage can allow mold to begin to grow in as short as 24 to 48 hours on many common building materials and building contents. Due to this fact, it is important to begin drying materials as soon as it is safe to do so after the storm.  Some nonporous materials can be cleaned and salvaged, but most porous materials should be discarded if mold growth is present. 
 
Flooding caused by a hurricane can bring not only rainwater into a property, it may include viruses, bacteria and chemical contaminants from the surrounding area.   Also, many materials found in older properties may contain asbestos or have lead-based paints.  When removing damaged materials or rebuilding a property, these materials can often become aerosolized and present a threat to anyone in the building. 
 
“There are numerous potential hazards people face when dealing with a hurricane damaged building,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “When a hurricane does make landfall, our environmental professionals based in Puerto Rico are able to respond to anywhere in the Caribbean at a moment’s notice.  The expertise of our staff allows buildings to be rapidly repaired without risking the health and safety of workers and future building occupants.”
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their building science services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality (IAQ), asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail