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Banana Bay Condominium Association, Inc

c/o Reconcilable Differences, Inc.

109 Long Point Road

Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

321-799-0660

 

 

BANANA BAY HURRICANE PREPARATION AND DISASTER PLAN

 

THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT IS TO PROVIDE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANE PREPARATION FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF BANANA BAY CONDOMINIUM.  RESIDENTS OF BANANA BAY INCLUDE UNIT OWNERS, RENTERS AND ANY GUESTS WHO MAY BE RESIDING IN A UNIT AT THE TIME OF A HURRICANE THREAT.   UNIT OWNERS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT ALL CONDITIONS OF THIS PLAN ARE ADHERED TO AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THEIR UNIT OCCUPANTS.

 

This plan is divided into four parts.

 

PART ONE: preparations and steps that each unit resident should take for their own personal welfare, the welfare of their neighbors, and the preservation of their property.

 

PART TWO: preparations that The Board of Directors/Emergency Coordinator will make regarding the provisions for the common areas of Banana Bay, when confronted with a hurricane evacuation threat.

 

PART THREE: time line that Banana Bay will follow to when a hurricane is projected to hit Cocoa Beach and we have to evacuate.

 

PART FOUR: responsibilities of the Board of Directors and unit owners should damage occur to the building and individual units.

 

 

PART ONE - PREPARATION OF BANANA BAY UNIT OWNERS

 

No matter how safe or secure you may feel in our Banana Bay condominium, remember that when you are ordered to evacuate, you should go immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Non-compliance to an evacuation order is considered a "Misdemeanor" by Florida State Law.

 

Banana Bay will be placed in a sub-operational configuration, with very limited facilities just prior to final evacuation.

 

It is essential that all Banana Bay unit residents who require special assistance, due to their physical or medical conditions, register with Brevard County annually.  The County has a "Special Needs Program", to remove and help shelter people with special requirements.  To register, please call 637-6670 or 631-1770.   Again, registration must be done prior to hurricane alerts or warnings, as you must be on their files.

 

DIRECTORS/EMERGENCY COORDINATOR WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING OR SEEING TO THE SAFETY OF INDIVIDUAL UNIT OWNERS DURING EVACUATION PROCEDURES.

 

Any individuals who elect to stay and not evacuate must notify the Board of Directors of their intent to stay.  This information must be in writing and contain the name(s) of next of kin and how they may be contacted, if needed.

 

Each unit occupant should follow the standard "check list" of necessary items with which your unit should be equipped with during hurricane season.  Detailed instructions can be found in your AT&T telephone directory, pages 54-56.

 

Monitor local TV and radio stations for evacuation routes and information. Our evacuation routes are SR-520 and SR-528. Have your evacuation route planned well in advance, before bridges are shut down.


 

IF EVACUATION IS NECESSARY;

a)  Turn off all circuit breakers in the electric box in your unit, except the one for the refrigerator/freezer to possibly preserve food and water.  If this breaker is not properly marked in the electric box, turn each breaker off/on until the correct breaker is located.

 

Unplug all electrical appliances. 

 

To avoid a power surge when electricity is restored, turn breakers on one by one.  Re-plug all electrical appliances in. 

 

b)  Shut off both the hot and cold water valves to the clothes washer.  These items are visibly located on the wall directly behind the clothes washer.

 

c)  Shut off the main water valve, to eliminate possible water damage to your own or neighboring units.  The main water valve is located above your hot water tank, and you should learn its location well in advance of needing this information.  As mentioned above, the hot water circuit breaker in the electric box should have already been turned OFF to avoid damage.

 

d)  ALL ITEMS FROM YOUR BALCONIES AND FROM WALKWAYS IN FRONT OF YOUR UNITS MUST BE REMOVED AND STORED INSIDE YOUR UNITS.  THIS PERTAINS TO EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ITEM. PLACEMENT OF ITEMS INSIDE THE STAIRWELLS IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.  THEY COULD JEOPARDIZE THE ESCAPE ROUTE FROM THE BUILDING.

 

e)  Naturally, all units with hurricane shutters should have them closed and locked.

 

f)  All animals and pets should be removed from units.

 

g)  Shopping carts should be returned immediately and not left outside.

 

h)  Cars that are left after evacuation should be in garages.  If garages are unavailable, it is recommended you park in the carported area.

 

i)  If a unit owner has the key(s) to any other unit that is unoccupied (absentee owner), please make sure that any and all items pertaining to the above are taken care of.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS NO RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE ANY OF THE ABOVE SERVICES FOR ANY UNIT OWNER, PRIOR TO A STORM.  SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS INCURRED DUE TO NON-CONFORMITY WITH THIS PLAN, IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UNIT OWNER.


 

 

 

PART TWO – PREPARATIONS OF THE BANANA BAY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

There are many common areas and associated items that the Board of Directors will provide service for, in preparing for a hurricane.  Some provisions are dictated every year by Florida State Law and also by our insurance policy.  Those requirements are documented as follows and hopefully are all inclusive.

 

A.  NOTIFICATION

 

A copy of the Banana Bay Hurricane Plan shall be submitted to our insurance company for compliance.  The Board will also give notification to our insurance company and/or agent that an emergency condition exists and that the Association will proceed to activate their hurricane plan.

 

B.  COMMON AREAS TO BE ADDRESSED

 

1.       Elevators

2.       Electric Room

3.       Electric Power

4.       Garages

5.       Garbage Room and Chutes

6.       Landscaping (Pots with Plants)

7.       Office Business and files

8.       Personnel

9.       Pool and pool area

10.   Recreation Room

11.   Restrooms

12.   Roofs and Air Conditioning Units

13.   Stairwells

14.   Windows (Glass)

15.   Main Water Valve

16.   Emergency Supplies

 

 

1.  ELEVATORS

Once evacuation has been initiated and occupants given time to vacate Banana Bay (approximately 45 minutes prior to complete evacuation), the elevator will be parked on the fourth floor to avoid water from floors above damaging the operating panel, door, electrical devices or wiring.

 

Elevators will not be put back into service until all equipment is checked and verified to be in good operating condition by our elevator contractor. 

 

2. ELECTRIC ROOM

The main power to our building is located on the ground floor near the each elevator. 

 

3.  ELECTRIC POWER

FPL recommends that we turn off the main line (black/brown) switch for the building on the meter box. 

 

6.  GARAGES

All garage doors should be closed.  Unplug any appliances.

 

7.  GARBAGE ROOM AND CHUTES

Before evacuation is complete, all chute doors will be closed and the garbage room locked.

 

8.  LANDSCAPING (POTS WITH PLANTS)

All planted pots (including atrium) will be brought inside and stored. 

 

9.  OFFICE BUSINESS AND FILES

Remove any important files and place in an upper floor unit (TBD).  Designation of the files to be removed (i.e., unit owner information, bank account information, etc.) shall be determined by the Board of Directors. 

 

All unit and property keys should be boxed and stored at the designated location.

 

Unplug all electronic equipment.  Either move computer to designated location or cover with polyethylene and secure up off the floor.  Lock the office door and turn off the power to the room.

 

10. PERSONNEL

Banana Bay personnel are expected to help carry out any and all of the items established in this emergency plan as directed by the Board of Directors/Emergency Coordinator.  At no time shall the employees be expected to remain at Banana Bay after the final evacuation notice is given.  Final evacuation is projected to be approximately twenty-four (24) hours prior to hurricane landfall.

 

11. POOL AND POOL AREA

The pool will not be drained; leave water at normal level. 

Shut off all power to the swimming pool (pumps, chlorinators, lights, etc.). 

Close skimmers to prevent debris from damaging pumps when power is turned back on. 

Shut down heater (gas or electric) for the pool. 

Close the pool pump room doors and secure by lock.

 

Remove all chairs, lounges, tables and pool equipment/peripheral items from the pool and common areas and place inside Garage (TBA) and the Recreation Room.   

 

Remove all recycle bins and place inside Garage (TBA).

 

Remove hoses on property and place inside Garage (TBA) and Recreation Room.

 

12. RECREATION ROOM

All power to the recreation room will be turned OFF.  Unplug all appliances.

All window and sliding glass door blinds will be down and closed.

All doors will be shut and locked.  Sliding glass doors will be locked and secured.

 

13. RESTROOMS

Turn off the water in both restrooms along with electric power.  Lock both doors.

 

14. ROOFS AND AIR CONDITIONING UNITS

Remove all loose articles on the roof. 

 

Inspect all roof air conditioning units prior to the hurricane season.  Properly secure each unit to its holding bracket (frame) as specified per Florida Statute.  Correct any and all deficiencies found.  Secure the roof entrance ladder as normal. 

 

15. STAIRWELLS

Clean all stairwells of debris and/or stored items.  Passage shall be unobstructed.

Inspect and maintain all emergency lighting prior to hurricane season.

 

16. WINDOWS (GLASS)

Time permitting, tape (in a X fashion) all windows/glass in the recreation room to prevent flying glass.

18.  MAIN WATER VALVE

Insurance companies recommend turning off the main water valve to the building and townhouses.

 

19.  EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

Obtain emergency supplies prior to hurricane season.  Examples include lumber, nails, etc.

 

 

PART THREE – HURRICANE TIME LINE FOR BANANA BAY

 

The hurricane time line that follows is a guide to be used by the Board of Directors and association members when a hurricane is imminent and disaster preparation must be made.  The time line is not all inclusive and subject to change depending on the exactness of the information we receive from “public” sources.

 

The Banana Bay time line is based on our evacuation day (ED) being twenty four (24) hours prior to the estimated hurricane landfall.  From past experience, evacuation day could be in a much shorter time span than the 24 hours we are using as a baseline. 

 

T +24 HR          Estimated time of Hurricane Landfall

 

T  24 HR           The Emergency Coordinator and/or Board of Directors will alert maintenance people and other Banana Bay officials that we will prepare for evacuation per our evacuation plan.

 

T  24 HR           Notify all residents that our emergency plan is in effect.  Notification can be in the form of a note in elevators and lobby.

 

T 8 HR              Notify insurance agent that Banana Bay is working towards evacuation

 

 

T  7 HR             Safe Pool area
                        Safe Roof area

 

T  4 HR             Safe Office and remove all necessary files, keys and equipment.

 

 

T  2 HR             Notify the Emergency Operations Center at 868-3333 of the names and units of people not evacuating. 

 

T  1 HR             Turn off power to office, recreation room, etc.  Secure and lock up building and, if time permits, complete taping of all breakable glass areas. 

 

T  45 MIN          Safe and secure Elevators

 

T  30 MIN          Notify the Emergency Operations Center at 868-3333 that the Banana Bay directors will evacuate the premises in (30) minutes.

 

T (0) HR            Evacuation day (ED), 24 hours before hurricane hits.


Turn off main water valve and main electricity breaker for the building and townhouses.

 

 

 

 

PART FOUR – POST HURRICANE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND UNIT OWNERS

 

A.  RETURN TO PROPERTY

After the storm has passed and the civil defense/sheriff’s department has given the all-clear, return to Banana Bay.  The Board of Directors/Emergency Coordinator will then assess damages.  All personnel should report to work.

 

B.  INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY

The Banana Bay Board of Directors/Emergency Coordinator will have emergency powers, including, but not limited to, the power to contract for:

(1) emergency services including medical for any residents in need,

(2) security from vandalism,

(3) removal of storm debris,

(4) “drying in/shoring up” the building structures in order to mitigate against further damage,

(5) “drying out” – this is the removal, where necessary, of wet carpet, wall board, cabinets, etc. when necessary to prevent the growth of mold,

(6) contracting for engineering and other professional services to assist in disaster recovery. 

 

All water damage must be addressed immediately.  Therefore, the Board of Directors has the authority to enter all unoccupied units to assess any hurricane damage in compliance with “drying in/drying out” and debris removal.

 

The Board of Directors will notify the insurance claim office (Josh Ranew at Ranew Insurance Services at (321) 722-2338*) as soon as possible to report the claim and get an adjuster on the scene as soon as possible.  Photographs should be taken to document all the damage before making repairs.  Prior approval should be obtained from the insurance company on the nature of repairs that can be made before the adjuster arrives to assess damages.

 

If damage has occurred at Banana Bay, the Board of Directors/Emergency Coordinator will also contact CERT (Contractor Emergency Response Team).   CERT will assign a team to Banana Bay for:

 

 

Contact the CERT Headquarters at ???

 

Unit Owners

If damage has occurred to your unit and you are an absentee owner, return to Banana Bay as soon as possible to oversee repairs or designate an individual who is on the premises for this purpose.  Notify the Board of Directors/Emergency Coordinator of your intentions. 

 

DELAYED RE-OPENING

If the property has experienced the effects of a severe hurricane (extensive wind and storm surge damages) the structural integrity of the building may have been affected.  In this situation, the Board of Directors/Emergency Coordinator should exercise extreme caution before allowing anyone to return to the property.

 

A full meeting of the board should take place to evaluate and possibly engage a structural engineer and other appropriate professionals to assess the extent of the damage.  Notify the insurance claim office as soon as possible to report the claim and get an adjuster on the scene as soon as possible.  Photographs should be taken to document all the damage before making the repairs.  Prior approval should be obtained from the insurance company on the nature of repairs that can be made before the adjuster arrives to assess damages.

 

Should excessive damage occur to the building, see Banana Bay Condominium Bylaws for rules governing the termination of the condominium.