If anyone wants to see other pictures of how it effected the city itself, www.gazetteonline.com or www.kcrg.com would be where to look. Where that facility is, is in a sub burb called palo where every property sustained water damage. Luckily the nuclear power plant near there stayed above water.

My main questions would be with any suggestions on clean up what to do with tenants we can't get ahold of.

Randy, we rented huge industrial fans to dry the places out. Mopped for weeks. Hired mold remediation specialists to evaluate and help to put together an action plan. Placed 30 yd dumpsters onsite for tenants we could get hold of to use. Those that could not be reached we exercised our emergency entry and possession clause in the lease to open and dispose of items that could produce mold and mildew. Everything was photographed for documentation and all work was done with 2 people for collaboration.

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Self Storage Management
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That is what I wanted to hear, as I mentioned earlier I can do the disinfection and cleanup of the buildings, as I own a pressure washing business. We will have no power till we can get the power ok so I think as soon as I can get in there tomorrow I will be opening all the doors I can to start help airing the buildings out.

I have the same clause in my lease about emergency entry, but my lease doesn't say I can dispose of items that are ruined. It just says we can move them to another unit, or facility.

How long did you give people to come and do it themselves? If my lease doesn't say I can dispose of ruined items can I still do it?

Legal counsel and insurance carrier determined liability was minimal because of the condition existing due to an 'act of god'. As an operator, we held the responsibility to address all emergency and maintenance related issues in an efficient and timely manner.

The flood caused emergency conditions that necessitated access and remedy. The wet items and underlying wet physical plant necessitated 'extraordinary and reasonable' maintenance procedures to cure condition to 'betterment of all parties both owner and entirety of lease holders.

We gave tenants 48 hours to come in before we took possession and started cure of condition.

You need to have your insurance carrier intimately involved in advising you on procedures to use so they stand behind you during litigation. You will be sued most likely. All of our suits were either dismissed or settled out of court by the carrier.

Chin up Randy. Call me if you think I can help, or you need to vent to someone who has been there!

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I am just curious but why would my insurance carrier need to be informed if I am not covered?

As most of the people effected around here we had no flood insurance. No one ever expected the river to reach that level.

Inform your liability carrier as they may become involved in litigation. The situation exists now as to the handling post flood, which is a separate issue from the flood itself.

The situation I had was New Orleans, so we had flood and liability carriers in the process.

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Randy, My heart goes out to you! I was in a flood in 1993 in Columbus, Ohio we lost everything. We got hit by a middle of the night storm and we had a river behind out apartment and never thought it would get that high. We was waken by a neighbor who said we need to leave as it was flooding. We had our neighbors help us push our 67 mustang to the top of a hill. It was full of water to the bottom of the dash. It was ok due to the help in moving it. But that is all we had after the storm and we understand what you are going thru. We wish we was closer to help you clean up. But just remember what my hubby says " What doesn't kill us makes us stronger" Your community will come out of this stronger as will you as a manager who cares for its tenants Keep your spirits up, tomorrow is another day. also remember that your tenants aren't mad at you, but it is you who they can dump it on. We all need to vent so find someone (like us here on the forum) to vent your feelings, it will help.

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Proud Karate Mom