CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - In preparation for Hurricane Alex as it moves toward the Texas Coast, Houston-based Orion Real Estate Services, Inc. initiated this week a safety strategy combining person-to-person staff preparation and Internet portal distribution of information to residents. Orion manages The Rafters, The Wharf and Willowick, which are home to 750 families in the city.
Beginning with a Tuesday conference call with the management staff for the Corpus Christi properties, Tuana Taylor-Blevins, the Orion Regional Vice President, refreshed previous training regarding the looming threat posed by the season's first hurricane. During the call, the Orion team members reviewed procedures for insuring the health and safety of the residents and staff, who will be facing the threat of heavy rainfall and rising tides as well as very strong winds, even if not directly in the path of the storm.
Rubecca Clark, manager of The Charleston, a sister property located in Houston, recounted the lessons of recent hurricanes Rita and Ike. Staffers were urged to implement timely measures to insure that property damage would be kept to a minimum. Details such as clearing drainage pipes, advising residents to relocate cars and other personal property to less flood-prone areas and relocating equipment and files from lower floors if necessary were emphasized. Ms. Clark volunteered her staff and resources in the event of emergency relocations of residents or property equipment.
Ms. Taylor-Blevins urged repeatedly that all staff regard their own safety above such concerns and to take no unnecessary risks.
The second part of the Orion strategy addressed management staff reaching out to their residents with hurricane safety information not only in the traditional printed form, but more importantly using the properties' online resident service portals. Ms. Taylor-Blevins reminded everyone that the Community News feature of the 365 Connect Resident Portal, to which each property subscribes, gives managers the opportunity to share emergency information in real time, which is automatically posted to Twitter and FaceBook. The portal's internal email function also makes mass emails to all residents detailing emergency procedures a quick and efficient way to get the word out. Residents and visitors to the portals can regularly view Community News for updates on Hurricane Alex safety tips and procedures.
Hurricane Alex is expected to hit south of Brownsville, Texas on Thursday, but is still bringing significant winds and rain to the entire Gulf Coast region.
Related Links:
www.TheCharlestonApts.com
www.RaftersApts.com
www.TheWharfApts.com
www.WillowickApts.com
www.ORES.com
Source: MultifamilyBiz.com