We’re shifting gears from tropical storms to winter hazards and we’d like to help you prepare. Extreme winter weather can have a negative impact on utilities and other services, sometimes leaving communities without power for hours. Should this happen in your area, will you be ready?

The Department of Homeland Security breaks winter preparation into three categories: Prepare Now, Survive During, and Recognize and Respond.

Preparing now means checking on colleagues, family and neighbors to make sure they have everything they need, such as medications, generators, and food to last them a few days. It also means checking carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms to ensure they’re working properly and leaving the faucets on to avoid frozen pipes. Encourage employees to create an emergency kit to keep in their cars since storms can happen quickly and unexpectedly.

If a winter...

There is no such thing as being “too safe” when it comes to cybersecurity. The more precautions you take, the better chance you have at protecting your information and the information of those you interact with. We’ve outlined the different types of cyberthreats to help you quickly identify them and avoid falling for their traps.

Social Engineering is the process of deceiving and manipulating people into performing actions or giving away confidential information that may be used for fraudulent purposes. The most common form of social engineering is phishing. Phishing attacks usually come in the form of a fraudulent email that asks users to click a link and enter their personal information. The email will look like it’s coming from a trusted source but will usually contain typos or unusual URLs.

APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats) are those in which an unauthorized user infiltrates a network undetected and stays in the network for a long period of time. The purpose of these threats is not to damage the network but to steal information...

As families and businesses begin to recover from the destruction of Hurricane Dorian and Tropical Depression Imelda, please know that Cotton Global Disaster solutions have all who were in the path of the storms in our thoughts and prayers. Cotton Global Disaster Solutions is on the ground in the Bahamas and Southeast Texas providing critical services to help restore communities, reduce business interruption and assist those helping with relief efforts. After seeing the storm’s devastation first-hand, we know how hard the struggle will be to rebuild, but we want to extend a message of hope and assurances that you are not alone.

Cotton’s 24/7 Emergency Watch Center closely monitored the two storms and tracked their development in real-time. Our priority was to keep clients alert of their safety and begin the implementation of their business continuity plans. Prior to landfall, Cotton deployed its disaster response, logistical support, emergency food services, and management teams to the regions.

With hurricane season still in full swing, we encourage...

When construction is required as a result of a disaster, repair, renovation or other issues, call Cotton Global Disaster Solutions. We are a full-service general contractor specializing in property loss, providing a seamless transition from mitigation and recovery operations to repairing and rebuilding.

COTTON’S VALUE TO YOU

• One company: When many decisions are being made under difficult conditions, working with a single company will help reduce your stress.
• Head-start: Cotton’s involvement in the clean-up phase of a project means our construction specialists are aware of your reconstruction and build-out requirements, reducing delays.
• Innovation: Thorough knowledge of your project allows our specialists to identify innovative solutions that will make the construction phase more efficient and cost-effective.

From clean-up and demolition to construction, remodeling, plumbing,...

Business Recovery Edition

Speed is key to restoring vital services following natural and man-made disasters. The Cotton team understands the pains of business interruption, which is why Cotton Global Disaster Solutions offers 24/7 emergency restoration services. Cotton has developed streamlined processes that are instrumental in recovery efforts due to large losses and major events.

Cotton provides continuity of operations in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. With state-of-the-art equipment and innovative techniques, Cotton has resources in place to ensure a successful return to your daily operations.

Contact Cotton GDS if your organization is in need of the following services:

• Water Extraction

• Building Stabilization

• Drying Equipment

• Demolition

• HVAC Cleaning

• Flood Pumpers

• Structure...

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season to be near-normal with regards to the number of named storms and hurricanes. The NOAA predicts between 9 to15 named storms of which 4 to 8 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 2 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). It’s more important now than ever to prepare for hurricane season to protect your family, properties, and self from disaster.

Preparing for severe weather (e.g. hurricanes, tropical storms, and torrential downpours) can make a difference in how quickly you respond. Don’t wait until a hurricane is approaching before considering your family's preparedness. History teaches that a lack of awareness and planning are common threads among all major hurricane disasters. Knowing your vulnerability and what actions you should take can reduce the effects of a severe weather...

Historic flooding threatened to inundate homes and businesses in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and surrounding areas in late May. Upon seeing that the city had set up a sandbag distribution point at Oral Roberts University, Cotton Team members jumped into action.

Cotton employees from Houston who were in the region to assist with restoration work picked up shovels and assisted the city, filling sandbags for residents who needed them. The heavy rains and flooding reminded them of the devastation and subsequent help after Hurricane Harvey.

"The same way we received help from Oklahomans during Harvey, we wanted to come and help,” explained Josh Rios, Cotton supervisor.

Read more at TulsaWorld.com.

May is National Building Safety Month, an annual awareness campaign presented by the International Code Council. This year’s theme is “No Code. No Confidence.” The campaign, now in its 39th year, reinforces the need for the adoption of modern, regularly-updated building codes, and helps individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.

Cotton can bring buildings into code compliance and improve their safety before damage and losses can occur. If your building hasn’t been inspected recently for code violations, call Cotton today to request a walkthrough. In addition to code compliance, we can discuss and update your business continuity plan in the event of a disaster or emergency. With our experts’ help, you will have complete confidence in the safety of your business.

With hurricane season...

The start of Hurricane season is weeks away, but severe weather doesn’t stick to a calendar. When spring comes, so does damaging winds, an increased threat of tornadoes and flooding rains. Be prepared for another year of severe weather with these tips:

• Communicate with your employees: You should already have an emergency plan, but do all of your employees know it? Do they know how to prepare and where to go? Communicate your emergency plan every year at the start of severe weather season.
• Refresh your emergency kit: For those who may have to ride out a period without power, make sure you have supplies that work. Check food expiration dates, refresh bottled water supplies, replenish anything that has been used.
• Have emergency phone numbers in writing: The aftermath of destructive weather can be chaotic. Post emergency phone numbers in a place where your employees can access them: utilities, insurance companies, company leadership and other important stakeholders.
• ...

An excerpt from Cotton’s EVP of Risk Management Lance Ewing’s column from Best’s Review

Alan King, the comedian and actor, once quipped, “the other day my house caught on fire. My lawyer said, 'Shouldn't be a problem. What kind of coverage do you have?' I said fire and theft. The lawyer frowned. 'Uh oh, wrong kind of insurance. Should be fire OR theft.'” Or so the story goes.

Insurance policies are truly claims policies. Insurers pay their premium with the anticipation that the claim will be paid when the loss occurs to their business or property. Yet many times, that is not the case.

When there is a claim dispute, many corporate risk managers and homeowners jump from receiving the denial of the claim to “Let's sue the insurance carrier.” A better philosophy for a denied property claim would be: Negotiate, mediate, arbitrate and only then litigate. Litigation against an insurance carrier should be the arrow of last resort in the quiver. Litigation puts the outcome of the dispute in the hands of a third party and removes the decision-making from the two...