Glazing Consultant Provides Tips for Hurricane Preparation

As the industry prepares for the onslaught of hurricane season and the East Coast eyes Tropical Storm Andrea, Glazing Consultants International (GCI) founder and managing member Paul Beers offered some insight to USGNN.com™/USGlass magazine as to what businesses can do to prepare their own offices for potential storms on the horizon.

■Consider computer backup systems. “[GCI] has moved all of its computer operations to the cloud,” says Beers. “Following one of the storms in 2004, [GCI was] unable to access [its] office for a week and everyone in the company, including those working in satellite offices, were shut down from computer access.”■Close interior doors. “[This] reduce[s] the possibility of damage into individual offices, etc.,” says Beers.

■Allow flexibility. “Employees are given adequate time to leave early to attend to their families and homes,” he suggests.

■Prepare early. “[GCI] tries to complete all preparations for a hurricane the day before the storm arrives,” Beers adds.

Beers established GCI Consultants in 1988 and has more than 25 years’ experience in the glazing industry and is considered an expert on hurricane damage and protection, and assisted in the development and implementation of missile impact tests after Hurricane Andrew hit Dade County, Fla., in 1992.

What does your company due to prepare for severe weather? Please email pstacey@glass.com.