The first 72 hours after a storm: a contractor's mobilization plan
What restoration and roofing contractors should have decided before landfall, and what to do in the first three days of a catastrophe response.
The first three days after a major storm decide a lot. Damage gets worse the longer water sits, property managers are making their first calls, and every contractor in the region is trying to move at once.
The contractors who handle those days well aren't improvising. They decided most of it in advance.
Before landfall: decide, don't scramble
When a storm is forecast, the time for planning is short, so the plan should already exist. Confirm, or set:
- Who goes where. Which crews deploy, which stay to cover existing work, and who leads each team.
- Lodging, fuel and food. In a hard-hit area, all three can run short. Know where your crews will stay and how they'll be supplied.
- Equipment. Count what's ready to deploy, check it's working, and know what's already committed elsewhere.
- Subcontractors. Confirm who is available, and that their insurance is current.
- Your office. Decide who answers calls, who dispatches crews, and who handles documentation.
Safety comes first throughout. Follow official guidance on when and where it's safe to travel, and don't put crews into areas that are still closed.
Hours 0 to 24: make contact and assess
Once it's safe to move:
- Check in with the properties you serve. Let property managers know you're available and how to reach you. A short, clear message beats silence.
- Get eyes on the damage. Initial assessments set priorities: active water, structural concerns, safety hazards and access problems first.
- Start documenting immediately. Photos and notes from the first visit are evidence you can't recreate later. Tie each photo to a building, unit or area.
Hours 24 to 48: stabilize
The goal now is to stop the damage getting worse:
- emergency water extraction and drying setup;
- temporary roofing, tarping and board-up where needed;
- moisture readings at marked points, so drying progress can be shown from day one.
Keep your daily T&M sheets from the very first shift. Our post on T&M records that get you paid covers the routine.
Hours 48 to 72: scope and communicate
With the building stabilized:
- Build the scope. Turn your assessment into a clear, written scope of work, with what's included, what's excluded and what's assumed.
- Report progress. Give the property manager a short daily update: what was done, what's next, and anything they need to decide.
- Flag changes early. If the damage is larger than first thought, say so in writing, with the photos and readings that show why.
Get ready before the next one
Every step above goes faster when your documents, equipment list and crew plan are already in order. Our CAT-readiness checklist covers what to prepare, and the Requirements page shows what the QVRN application asks for.
Being qualified in advance doesn't guarantee an assignment, but it means a property manager can call you without starting from zero.