Heavy Rain This Weekend: Here's How to Prepare
NYC is expecting heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding this weekend. When rainfall rates reach 1 inch or more per hour, the City activates its Flash Flood Emergency Plan. That level of rain can overwhelm catch basins and street drainage quickly, especially where debris has built up.
As a business owner or property manager in Jackson Heights, taking proactive steps today can protect your inventory, equipment, and storefront from costly water damage and unexpected operational disruptions.
How to prepare
Assess Your Hazards: Identify the risks most likely to impact your shop (flooding, power outages, utility failures). Plan ahead for operational hurdles, such as having a backup system in case a blackout prevents credit card processing.
Plan to Stay in Business:
Identify critical operations: Determine which staff, materials, equipment, and contacts are essential to keep operating.
Protect vital records: Keep copies of licenses, contracts, and financial documents in a waterproof, fireproof, portable container (plus a digital off-site backup).
Vendor & client communication: Keep an updated contact list to reach suppliers and customers during and after an emergency.
Talk to Your People & Staff:
Emergency communication: Set up a staff call tree, group chat, or email list to communicate before, during, and after an event.
Employee well-being: Encourage your team to prepare their personal "Go Bags" and home emergency plans so they are safe and ready to support business recovery.
Protect Your Physical & Virtual Assets:
Review insurance coverage: Ensure your policy covers direct costs (flood and hazard insurance) as well as indirect costs (business interruption/continuation coverage).
Floodproofing & IT security: Move valuable inventory, electronics, and supply boxes at least several inches off basement floors. Set up sandbags or barriers at entrance doors if prone to water pooling. Back up critical IT systems safely.
Know How to Respond (Evacuate vs. Shelter in Place)
Evacuation Plan: Map out two escape routes, clear all exit doors, set two external meeting locations, and coordinate building plans with your property manager.
Shelter-in-Place: If remaining indoors is safer, maintain an easily accessible emergency supply kit containing water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, and a first-aid kit.
If flooding happens
Call 311 to report it. Reach out to the 82nd Street Partnership with your complaint number and share any pictures or videos of any damage or flooding in your property or business. This will help us determine whether the flooding is specific to your building or part of a larger drainage issue on the block. The information will help us advocate for infrastructure improvements if needed.
Preparedness is exactly the kind of topic we love tackling together as a community and it's a great example of why gathering as a district matters. Join us at our Annual Meeting on September 30 to connect with your neighbors on issues like this one, and help shape what's next for 82nd Street.
