disaster

Ways to Prepare Your Property for Natural Disasters

Mother Nature is usually wonderful, beautiful, and stunning, but every once in a while, it can be a cruel and unforgiving parent to us all. We, of course, refer to the natural disasters that can strike anytime, depending on your location and the season. Hurricanes, storms, floods, earthquakes, and fires

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Drones To Be At The Forefront of Construction

A project is underway to develop new drones that go beyond surveillance and are capable of building structures with the use of 3D printing software. The team of scientists and engineers are looking to develop aerial robots that are able to fly into either remote locations or disaster zones, and

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Latest Issue

BDC 321 : Oct 2024

disaster

Ways to Prepare Your Property for Natural Disasters

Mother Nature is usually wonderful, beautiful, and stunning, but every once in a while, it can be a cruel and unforgiving parent to us all. We, of course, refer to the natural disasters that can strike anytime, depending on your location and the season. Hurricanes, storms, floods, earthquakes, and fires are all pretty common natural disasters, especially in tropical areas. These things can cause a lot of damage to your home, so if you live in one of these tropical locations, you must always be prepared for all the disasters we mentioned above. Today, we are going to give you some tips on how to prepare your property for different natural disasters. First, make sure you have the right kind of home insurance Before we get into some practical tips on how to protect your home against natural disasters, you should know that in some cases, you simply can’t save your property from nature’s wrath. In these cases, it’s important to have the right kind of building and contents insurance. For example, if you purchase a policy that covers burglary and theft, that won’t help you in case of a natural disaster. Therefore, make sure to get a home insurance policy that will cover the damages caused by disastrous weather. If you live in Australia, which is one of those tropical areas where natural disasters are common, you should know that insurance companies like Youi cover the damage caused by this type of weather. Reinforce your roof, doors, and windows It’s safe to say that these things are natural weak spots of every house, especially during hurricanes and hailstorms. Hail and wind can do a lot of damage to your windows and shattered glass can hurt you and your loved ones. Therefore, make sure to reinforce your roof, doors, and windows by installing hurricane shutters. In most cases, these things will do the job, but if you want to be sure shattered glass won’t hurt you or your family members, you can use duct tape to make an X mark an all of your windows. Also, the curtains can also protect you from debris, so make sure they are drawn during the storm. Put your car in the garage and remove all valuables from your yard When a natural disaster strikes, a lot of people don’t think clearly. All they want to do is get inside, put on their hurricane shutters, and wait out the storm. However, most of them tend to forget their car and their valuables outside in their yard. The safety of you and your loved ones is paramount, of course, but you should also remember to put your car in the garage and remove all the things from your yard. Strong wind, hail, and other debris can cause a lot of damage to your car and your other possessions. These things cost a lot of money and there’s a chance your insurance won’t cover for them if you forget them outside during a storm. Build a safe room We are aware that this might sound like something from a disaster movie, but having a safe room in your home can protect you and your family during all kinds of natural disasters. You have to make sure that the walls and the doors in this room are strong and reinforced. Your safe room should have a few beds and some shelves stacked with canned food and water in case you have to stay there for a while. This room can serve as a utility closet or a storage room at other times when there is no danger from natural disasters. Have emergency supply kits in your home When a natural disaster strikes, it’s not just your home that’s in danger. All of your neighbors and local grocery stores will be damaged too. This means there is a chance that you won’t be able to acquire some food and supplies a few days during and after a disaster. You should always be prepared for a scenario like this. The best thing you can do is to build emergency supply kits and store them in all the rooms in your home. Items you should have in these kits are – canned food, water, first-aid kits, flashlights, a radio, and batteries. Make sure not to use supplies from these emergency kits during a safe period and you will be prepared when the time comes. Admittedly, natural disasters are not that common, but the worst thing about them is that they can strike at any time, usually when you least expect them. They can cause a lot of damage to your home and in some cases, they can even be fatal. This is why it’s always better to be prepared. Just because you’re not in danger today doesn’t mean you won’t be tomorrow. So, make sure to do all the things we talked about in this text and your family will be safe from harm.

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Drones To Be At The Forefront of Construction

A project is underway to develop new drones that go beyond surveillance and are capable of building structures with the use of 3D printing software. The team of scientists and engineers are looking to develop aerial robots that are able to fly into either remote locations or disaster zones, and construct shelters and buildings using additive building manufacturing (ABM). Researchers from the University of Bath, Imperial College and University College London have come together for what will be a four-year colloborative project culminating in the creation of pioneering new drones for worldwide use. Despite ABM fundamentally transforming the industry and giving way to an age of 3D-printed development, the systems are ill-suited to construction in remote areas. Existing tools have historically been too large and too difficult to service, ruling them out of development in remote areas. Looking to address that challenge, the research project aims to develop an innovative ABM system capable of manufacturing shelters and bridges remotely. It will primarily comprise a swarm of drones that can conduct aerial surveys as well as assess and manufacture structures. With the use of autonomous robots, the team are hoping to significantly shrink ABM and, by doing more in the air, improve its mobility and appropriateness for complex builds. The drones would then act self-sufficiently, working together to assemble a build on site. Of course, the use of drones in the construction industry is already pronounced and the technologies have been used successfully for surveillance during the design stages of development. Despite re-purposing drone technology for actual construction, engineers will continue to make use of the robots’ surveying capabilities; the swarm will use complex Building Information Management (BIM) systems to scan and model the building and surrounding area. Imperial College London’s Dr Mirko Kovac from the Department of Aeronautics is leading the multimillion pound project. Billed as one the sector’s most exciting projects to date, it has already received in excess of £3.4m of funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and various other industrial partners.

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