Get Your Business Involved with Post-Disaster Recovery

Flood season in many areas runs from spring through summer. Floods can also happen when the snow melts. Heavy rain and thunderstorms can cause rivers and drainage systems to overflow.

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, and hurricanes and other tropical storms can cause devastating wind and water damage.

At the time of this 2020 article, NOAA had estimated that flooding on the Mississippi River and its tributaries caused $6.2 billion in damage in 2019. NOAA’s later billion-dollar disaster tally put the 2019 flooding on the Missouri, Mississippi, and Arkansas rivers at about $20 billion.

Every year, disasters like these cause severe damage, and they also create a lot of work for companies that provide post-disaster recovery services. By expanding your business into post-disaster recovery and remediation, you can help your community and grow your business.

The Phases of Disaster Management

FEMA defines emergency management as a cycle, so a community is always in at least one phase. The four phases are mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Mitigation involves preventing or reducing the impact of disasters. Examples include:

• Anchoring homes and buildings to their foundations to withstand high winds.
• Building levees and drainage channels, and planting vegetation to control flooding.

Preparedness includes recovery planning, training, and education for weather events that can’t be mitigated. For example:

• Developing community recovery plans.
• Practicing plans through drills and exercises.

The response phase occurs immediately following a disaster. Examples include:

• Executing disaster response plans.
• Conducting search and rescue missions.

The recovery phase can take much longer, and it must be accomplished along with normal day-to-day activities. Examples of recovery activities include:

• Caring for the sick and injured.
• Repairing and replacing damaged structures.

The mitigation and recovery phases offer the most potential for contract remediation work.

Getting into Post-Disaster Recovery

There are never enough resources in a disaster, so there’s usually room for another contractor to help with recovery. Here’s how to get started.

First, prepare yourself and your team:

• Take stock of your team’s expertise in recovery and restoration tasks.
• Are you licensed to do home improvement work in your state? Some states require a contractor’s license to perform water remediation. Check with your state and county governments for their requirements.
• Develop your team’s scope of work to cover the full range of recovery services.
• You can get training and certification from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the nonprofit certifying body for the cleaning and restoration industry.

Next, get equipped. Buy high-quality equipment that can run reliably for days or even weeks at a time. Air movers and dehumidifiers are essential for water damage remediation. You’ll also need at least one high-quality moisture meter that can check moisture in wood and other materials. You’ll use it to find areas with excess moisture and to determine when materials are dry enough.

The Wagner Meters Orion^® 950 measures the moisture content of wood quickly and accurately, and it can also check non-wood materials in relative mode. Its features include:

• Fast moisture content readings that take only seconds, so you can take as many readings as you need.
• An On-Demand Calibrator, so you can check the meter’s calibration yourself instead of returning it to the factory.
• Dual-depth measurements at ¼” and ¾” depths for measuring wood from floors to framing.
• Data collection in either manual or automatic mode, with storage for up to 100 readings.
• Bluetooth^® connection to the free Woodshop MC™ and FloorSmart™ mobile apps for Android and Apple devices, so you can record and organize job-specific readings.
• A built-in ambient temperature and humidity sensor.
• A relative mode for non-wood materials such as drywall, so you can compare moisture levels and find trouble spots.

Getting Post-Disaster Recovery Contracts

Once you’re ready, there are two main ways to find work: insurance company referrals in the private sector, and becoming a government contractor.

Contracting Through Insurance Company Referrals

There are two ways to approach insurance companies.

First, you can market your company directly to local and national insurance agencies. Two things to remember are:

• A solid online presence is essential. Get a professionally designed website and a LinkedIn profile.
• Price your services competitively and do your best work. Remember, you’re not the only contractor in town.

The other way to approach insurance companies is to get listed with a directory of insurance claim contractors. These providers will register you, set up your profile, and send you referrals from insurance companies for claims. Homeowners who have filed an insurance claim and are looking to hire a contractor directly can also find you there.

Becoming a Government Contractor

If you want to take on larger jobs, consider becoming a government contractor.

There are two main routes: getting a GSA (General Services Administration) Schedule contract through GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), or doing work funded by FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program.

Becoming a GSA Contractor

The GSA is the acquisition arm of the federal government. It buys goods and services from the private sector for government agencies and the military.

A GSA Schedule contract is a long-term contract that government buyers can order from. You can learn how to get started at gsa.gov.

The GSA Schedule process can be complex and time-consuming, but you don’t have to do it alone. APEX Accelerators (formerly called Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, or PTACs) offer free counseling to businesses that want to sell to the government. You can find your local center through the National APEX Accelerator Alliance.

FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program

After a disaster, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides Public Assistance grants to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and certain private nonprofits. Disaster remediation contractors benefit from these funds when they’re hired to perform the work the grants pay for.

To position yourself for this work, register in the System for Award Management at SAM.gov and opt in to its Disaster Response Registry, which contracting officers check when they need disaster relief contractors. Registering in SAM is free, and your local APEX Accelerator can help you with the process at no cost.

Finally, be proactive and set up “call when needed” agreements with your local city and county emergency management departments. They’re usually glad to have more resources lined up.

Visit FEMA’s Public Assistance page for complete program information.

Conclusion

Disaster recovery work is a way to serve your community and grow your business. With the right training, equipment, and registrations in place, you’ll be ready when the next disaster strikes.

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Last updated on October 13th, 2026