As winter approaches, it's time to prepare your business for cold weather and storms. In addition to checking windows for leaks and ensuring your heating system is functioning properly, you should give some thought to your roof.

Roofing professionals advise businesses to get their roofs inspected not just once, but twice per year - ideally in the spring and fall. By doing so, you protect your company’s assets, ensure the comfort of your workers, and prolong the life of your roof.

Here are few other measures you can take as a business owner or facility manager to prepare your roof for winter and ensure year-round protection:

• Gather all of your roofing documents into a file to easily access to all of your roof’s information. This will help you keep up with routine maintenance, repair history, warranty information and all of the details of your roof. Don’t let your roof’s information retire along with your facility manager!

• In addition to regular inspections, it’s a good idea to have one performed after severe weather...

October 22, 2018

The Cotton Team cannot express enough how deeply sorry we are for any losses and we recognize how hard the struggle will be to rebuild from Hurricane Michael. Many have lost their loved ones, homes, belongings, schools, businesses and their livelihood. After seeing the storm’s devastation first-hand, we know how hard the struggle will be to rebuild, but we want to extend a heartfelt message of hope.

Cotton is in the region and has mobilized a Command Center in Panama City Beach. We have supplied public and private sectors with temporary facilities, backup power generation, catering, and emergency food services, as well as other logistical support. Furthermore, we are providing the necessary support to our clients in the region by restoring, remediating and reconstructing roofs and structures quickly.

I speak for the entire Cotton Team when I say that we deeply care about the people and communities we serve, and we pride ourselves in these moments to help them piece back their lives. You have lost more than we can imagine, and we want you to know...

National Fire Prevention Week is an annual awareness campaign to educate Americans about fire prevention. This year’s campaign focuses on three steps to take in order to reduce the risk of fire:

LOOK for places fires could start: Take a comprehensive look around your business. Identify potential fire hazards, particularly your heating system and any kitchen facilities, and make sure you have adequate fire extinguishing equipment. Furthermore, pay close attention to appliances that have heating elements and make sure their piping and connections are new and maintained.

LISTEN for the sound of a smoke alarm: You could have only seconds to escape safely once a smoke alarm sounds, so don’t waste any time. Your life is more important than the email you’re...

It has been one year since Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on the lives of those living on the Gulf Coast, including the greater Houston area. While the region has shown its strength and resiliency, many are still in the process of healing, recovering and rebuilding following the devastation.

Education is a sector that was hit hard. Many school districts in the region were devastated by the storm, closing their doors and relocating for a period of time while also focusing on educating their students.

One such client was Bloomington ISD in Victoria County, Texas. Located just 40 miles from the coast, the district’s schools sustained massive damages resulting from the storm and had to undergo a large-scale remediation operation. Cotton was grateful to have the opportunity to help the school district through this tough time. What made the project the most rewarding was the response and gratitude we received from our client.

Misty Brasfield, CFO of Bloomington ISD, had some high praise for our Cotton men and women:

“These guys at Cotton have helped me get all...

As Hurricane Florence’s destruction is far from over, please know that Cotton Global Disaster solutions have all who are in the path of the storm in our thoughts and prayers. While the full impact of the storm is uncertain, we hope all remain safe and can quickly recover. Cotton Global Disaster Solutions is on the ground in the Carolinas and providing critical services to help the region recover, reduce business interruption and assist clients with their business continuity plans.

The storm has been on the company’s radar for weeks through its 24/7 Emergency Watch Center, closely tracking its development and landfall while keeping clients alert of their safety and business continuity planning and implementation. While most were evacuating, Cotton deployed its full bandwidth of turnkey services - Disaster Recovery, Construction, Roofing, Logistics and Culinary along with strike and management teams to the region.

Florence made landfall on September 14th as a Category 1 Hurricane near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, with maximum sustained winds reaching nearly 90...

When surfing the net, did you ever stop to think that someone may be staring back at you? As technology advances, more and more of our lives are intertwined with the internet through online shopping, banking, email communication, social media, and more. Being proactive provides the greatest protection against online threats.

Cotton wants to help you protect your privacy by providing a few online safety tips:

● Recognize that you are an attractive target to hackers.

● Practice good password management: 8 Character passwords are no longer sufficient. It’s best to use a long nonsensical mix of characters, numbers and symbols.

● Use a unique password for each of your accounts.

● Never share your passwords. Never write it down. Use a password manager such as LastPass or Dashlane.

● Never leave your device unattended for any length of time – computer, phone, or tablet. Lock it up so no one can use it while you are gone. This includes USB flash drives...

The heat this summer is inescapable, affecting almost every region of the United States. Whether you are walking to your car or performing a strenuous task at the job site, your body is always working to maintain a balance and sustain its core temperature. As the heat index rises above 103°F in some regions, there is a high risk of heat-related illness; therefore, additional measures to protect your body must be taken. Heat-related illnesses are a serious hazard especially for those who are working outdoors during summer months. Follow these hydration safety tips to ensure your health and well-being during these scorching months:

Don’t wait until you are thirsty

If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Instead, drink small amounts frequently at regular intervals: 8 ounces every 30-45 mins.

Carry a Drink Bottle

You are more inclined to drink when fluids are readily available. Aim to refill a 27 ounce drinking bottle at least once every hour.

Pre-hydrate

Drink plenty of fluids in the hours...

It’s finally summertime! That means most will opt to celebrate the season outdoors. Soaking in the sun can mean being out by the pool, beach vacations, cookouts, and other outdoor activities. However, when having fun in the sun it should also be second nature to take steps to protect yourself from UV radiation. Whether you’ve got a vacation coming up or simply spending time outside, we’ve got you covered! Safeguard yourself and your family this summer and stay healthy with sun safety tips and recommendations from the Cotton Safety Team.

• Cover up. Shield your skin from the sun’s UV rays by wearing long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, and breathable pants. All fabrics block UV rays to some degree, but for the most effective protection invest in outdoor clothing that carries an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating. The UPF rating measures how well different fabrics block UV rays. The most effective UPF rating is from 15 to more than 50.
• Plan around the sun. It’s imperative to limit direct sun exposure during peak sun times...

June marks the official start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts the outlook to be historically more active than years past. Cotton Global Disaster Solutions urges you to take steps to protect your employees and safeguard your business. It only takes one storm to change the course of your life and your company’s fate. Hurricanes are among nature’s most powerful and destructive phenomena. Emergency planning and preparedness for natural disasters is the key to a quick response and recovery when disaster strikes.

Cotton Global Disaster Solutions is here to help you weather through the storm. Start by downloading our Hurricane Business Continuity Planning and Recovery Guide.

Before our Cotton Global Disaster Solutions teams initiate the response and recovery phases following a disaster, much activity happens behind the scenes in Cotton’s 24/7 Watch Department. Information and speed are key to efficiency in our line of work, and the Cotton Watch team is dedicated to being at the forefront when a disaster strikes. This department is a critical component of our overall disaster mitigation and recovery process and the attention to detail taken in their preparedness efforts are paramount to completing successful projects for our clients.

In disaster scenarios, the environment and conditions can change instantly. Because of this, up-to-the minute information is extremely valuable in planning and preparing your business and employees for disaster. Cotton Watch analyzes risk factors and criteria that have the potential to affect your facilities all around the globe. Through severe weather tracking, social media monitoring, geo plotting our clients’ complete property portfolio and utilizing proprietary techniques,...