Key things:
Take pictures of damages, also track damage costs and extra expenses
Consider opening walls where wet to prevent mold, may grow but hidden
Do NOT try to charge or restart flood damaged EV’s
Do NOT mix bleach with other cleaning agents (toxic vapors)
You can get help, see many options below:
If you had damage…
1) Let city know and get a ticket #
NYC Housing Recovery Report Damage Portal or call (212) 615-8329
Why: so they can see where and potentially unlock emergency funding and gives you a ticket # for any claims in future (see Comptroller claim item below)
They have a “Small Business” form
Note: you are required to log in through NYC.ID, a secure authentication solution for NYC-hosted applications. You can use your Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, LinkedIn, or NYC account to sign in.
2) For food spoilage
File a claim with Con Edison if you've incurred losses from food spoilage.
Why: Con Edison may reimburse businesses for losses, such as food spoilage, suffered as a result of an outage that was not caused by a storm.
3) NYC Comptroller office recovery claims
Why: if you think your damage was caused by defective sewer systems, we have heard other businesses do this
Note: must be filed within 90 days of occurence. Also can get help via Community Action Center at (212) 669-3916 or by email at [email protected]
4) Talk to NYC SBS
NYC SBS Emergency Help Unit
Hotline: 888-727-4692, Contact Form, Email: [email protected]Why: They can:
connect you to an attorney for free legal advice about your business lease or contracts to determine how they may be impacted by an emergency
coordinate with the NYPD to make sure your business location is secure
connect you to local business organizations for possible relocation assistance
help accelerate re-inspections, applications, and permit processes
(If in designated flood zone) can get $5,000 grant. More here
(In or outside flood zone) can get free assessment of space and work needed to stop flooding. Can help with landlord. More here
More
Oil and water mixed: The oil should be removed before the water is pumped out. If the oil is not removed first, the floors and walls will be coated with oil as the water is removed.
Batteries / EV: Don’t just restart a battery-powered device if it got flooded. Could be dangerous. Article about dangers if got wet. It can cause short circuits, corrosion, electrolyte leakage, and overheating, potentially leading to fires or explosions. Recharging a wet battery is extremely dangerous and can worsen these risks. It's crucial to immediately disconnect the device, dry the battery, and if there are any signs of damage or swelling, recycle it (NYC locations here).
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