Is a 30 Minutes Response Fast Enough for Disaster Prevention Companies or Is It Too Slow?
For those involved in a disaster, every moment can feel like a lifetime. Their lives depend on it and their helplessness can raise their expectations from those responsible for disaster prevention. However, the response time from disaster prevention companies can be anywhere between 30 minutes to up to 48 hours.
The response time by Disaster Prevention companies depends on the nature of the disaster. The response time for a disaster occurring on a specific property can vary significantly from the response time for a catastrophe experienced on a regional or town level. In cases that fit in the latter category, disaster prevention companies have to ensure the safety of their team members while also maximizing their potential to help others.
However, the extent or the location of the disaster are not the only factors determining the response time for disaster prevention companies. It can also depend on the following other factors:
Factors Affecting the Disaster Prevention Response Time
The following four factors determine the time it takes for disaster prevention companies to respond to a disaster and assess the effectiveness of their response.
Nature of Disaster
There’s more to a disaster than its location and extent. However, after the location and extent, the nature of the disaster defines its response time. Disasters can vary in their nature. There are three common types of disasters, namely natural, man-made, and accidental.
Natural disasters refer to floods, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc. They significantly affect the response time as the disaster prevention companies in the region can sometimes get equally affected by them as civilians. In natural disasters, response time can increase despite the urgency and severity as response teams from nearby unaffected areas come in for help. On the other hand, in man-made disasters and disasters that occur as accidents, response time by disaster prevention companies is usually quick.
Preparedness of Victims
This factor does not apply to commercial and public properties. However, all public and commercial properties in the US are required by the government to install an emergency plan and carry out emergency drills regularly to keep people informed and updated. These spaces are also designed while keeping emergencies in mind. This step is ensured to enable people to help themselves and others experiencing the disasters with them.
Disaster Prevention companies expect public and commercial properties administration to follow through with the emergency plan when needed. If a disaster affects a large region, the disaster prevention companies will prioritize residential properties over commercial and public properties.
The reason behind prioritizing help to certain people over others is the uncertainty at residential spaces. Commercial and public spaces mostly contain a large number of considerably healthy people. These people can help each other if needed. However, people stuck in residential properties can be of any age with any medical condition that could keep them helping themselves.
Threat to Life
The threat of a disaster can often define how long it will take to rescue the affected individuals. While response time for any disaster should not depend on this particular factor, the number of sources sending out emergency response teams can increase in cases where human life is threatened.
Affected properties where people are trapped require a quick response time than those where people are safe. If a natural disaster is not affecting human life, it generally receives help on a smaller scale, even if it is affecting animal life or ecological systems.
Mitigation Efforts
Mitigation efforts are different from preparedness as preparedness can help inform individuals of the actions they need to take in disasters. In comparison, mitigation efforts refer to making arrangements to prevent disasters or emergencies and to minimize their effects in the future.
Similar to preparedness, disaster prevention companies expect mitigation efforts from public and commercial properties and spaces only. However, mitigation efforts can significantly reduce the damage in cases of disasters and can help personal property owners secure their lives and those of their loved ones. Making mitigation efforts at home can help residents stay safe and secure their homes from damage. In cases of natural disasters, it also emits the need to be evacuated and seek shelter.
Mitigation efforts can also vary depending on the region and the location of the property. Some areas see water damage as flood and rain, while some experience heat and fire damage.
While all disasters require a response as soon as possible, not every disaster can receive it. The standard time of up to 48 hours can also incur more damage to properties than a 30 minutes response time allows.
If you don’t want to wait for disaster prevention companies to save your property, you should look into mitigation efforts you can make at your home. If you’re living in or around Denton County, we suggest you look for mitigating or restorative services to adapt your home to deal with any kind of disaster. 911 Restoration of Denton County can be a helpful service in this regard. They also have a quick response time of 45 minutes during emergencies and disasters.