In addition to water damage, walls, ceilings, and shelves may collapse. When structural damage occurs, the person in charge of the over-all building maintenance needs to assess the structural damage and determine when it is safe to enter the building. Then, damage to affected materials needs to be assessed. Hurricanes Hurricanes may occur on the Atlantic Coast of Virginia between June and November. Damage from heavy rain and flooding as well as high winds may occur.
Hurricanes are slow moving so precautions can be taken before the storm actually strikes.
Evacuation Because sufficient warning can be given in a hurricane emergency, the building can be evacuated and closed before the hurricane strikes. If there are people in the building when the hurricane strikes, they should move to the lowest levels of the building, such as the basement level or the lower stacks and not leave until the storm is over. A battery-powered radio should be available so that weather reports can be monitored. Most damage from a hurricane will be water damage, although there is a possibility of structural damage, broken windows, and collapsed shelving. If there is structural damage, the person in charge of the over-all building maintenance needs to assess the damage and determine when it is safe to enter the building.