Weslaco Chamber unites officials, businesses to help re-build businesses

The aftermath of Hurricane Dolly revealed damaged homes and businesses that will take months to repair. The Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce stepped in to support the business community by hosting a panel of emergency management officials, utility, insurance, and service repair companies to assist businesses affected by the storm, on Wednesday, August 6, at the Weslaco Chamber.

The Chamber seminar entitled “Re-Building your Business after Hurricane Dolly” focused on the immediate assistance available to businesses, the role different businesses and organizations play during an emergency situation, and the importance of planning ahead for a hurricane.

Businesses valleywide can benefit from reading the following information shared at the event:

City of Weslaco, Emergency Management reported on the localized flooding in the Rio Grande Valley and the loss of power immediately after the storm. Power lines were down blocking roadways, and some areas were without power for 36 to 48 hours in Weslaco. Even the city’s emergency generators lost power for a time.

The City of Weslaco Water Supply was under boil water notice until Saturday after the storm. They issued an announcement through CodeRed when the water was safe. CodeRed is the notification system for emergency situations. Homeowners and businesses in Weslaco and Donna can register by calling 968-0367. You can also complete a form at the Weslaco Chamber.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises residents and business owners to take the time to request a reliability report from the BBB for businesses that offer them immediate assistance after a storm. The BBB can verify information about a business for you, and encourages you to do business with local businesses. Businesses from outside of the area will be attempting to offer their services to people needing relief, and are not always reliable. Beware of fake disaster officials and charities that may try to take advantage of the situation.

The Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance makes direct loans to anyone who has suffered physical damage to their home or business due to a declared disaster. Their loan programs are clear and simple and there are no fees during the loan application process.

The UTPA Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers assistance to businesses in all the Rio Grande Valley counties. They encourage businesses needing relief to contact their office and set up an appointment with an advisor near you.

Time Warner Cable prepared before the hurricane to handle outages and repairs. Services were down until power was restored in the area. Critical infrastructure in Weslaco stayed intact, and they reported that 98% of Weslaco services were fully operating as of Wednesday.

Magic Valley Electric Co-Op started assessing damages at midnight after the storm. Their top priorities were bringing power to hospitals, nursing homes, emergency management offices and government agencies, and they brought in crews from outside the area to help restore power. If you have a back-up generator, you are advised to be careful to not overload it which can be a hazard for utility workers. A lot of planning goes into preparing for a storm and they urge home and business owners to have a plan ready for the next hurricane.

Montalvo Insurance advised home and business owners to understand their insurance policies. When you file a claim, you will be paid on a depreciated value and you need to know if it covers replacement costs. If you haven’t been contacted by your agent, you need to call.

State Farm Insurance reported over 7,000 claims due to Hurricane Dolly. They advise to not assume to know what your policy covers and to sit down with your agent to understand your policy. A problem they encounter are clients who cannot afford their deductible; you need to be ready at all times to pay that amount in case of an emergency.

TagleRock Technologies addressed the importance of having a disaster recovery plan for your computer systems. They are currently offering one hour free computer repair services for businesses affected by Hurricane Dolly.

Total Lawn Care dealt with trees down and clearing brush to a safe location at homes and businesses. When planting trees, make them as strong as possible and look for weaknesses as you maintain them during the year. Standing water for more than 7 – 10 days can affect the life of your grass and makes way for mosquito breeding.

Security Depot could not monitor all their systems until power and phones lines were operating. If you do have a security system, they advise you to check your batteries; they last about 3 – 4 years.

The Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes homeowners and businesses to visit the Chamber office and pick up information from these participating businesses and organizations. The Weslaco Chamber is located at 301 W. Railroad St., or call (956) 968-2102 for more information.