Hurricane Ike: Nature's Force vs. Structural Strength
In the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike struck the Bolivar Peninsula, a 27-mile long barrier island a few miles northeast of Galveston, Texas. This powerful storm demolished numerous residential communities and left behind 2.2 billion cubic yards of debris. Hurricane Ike’s devastating effects offered researchers an opportunity to investigate the performance of certain construction techniques and building materials, including those used to build numerous Fortified...for safer living® homes. The Fortified program, developed and administered by the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), requires building to code-plus construction standards that greatly increase a new home’s resistance to natural perils. Click here for the full report, HURRICANE IKE: Nature’s Force vs. Structural Strength.
To request the broadcast quality version of the video or to schedule an interview regarding this report with the IBHS CEO and/or researchers, contact Candace Iskowitz at ciskowitz@ibhs.org.
The mere mention of the names Katrina, Andrew, Charley, Wilma, and more recently Ike, can conjure up images of widespread destruction and human suffering. These names represent the top five costliest hurricanes in U.S. history with combined insured losses of more than $99.6 billion, excluding flood damage. With each storm have come opportunities to learn new ways to better protect properties against the damaging effects of wind and water.
As another hurricane season approaches, residents and insurers with customers from Maine to Texas will cautiously watch the weather forecasts and hope for the best. The reality is there is much more all of us can do than simply hope. Some solutions come with a cost, but few costs are greater than having to rebuild a lifetime of memories created in a home or a life’s work invested in a business...
...It is with this in mind that the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) continues to work with national and local media, its member insurance companies, and the public to spread the message of preparedness. Just as experience has taught us that food and water are likely to be in short supply after a storm, so have we learned that there are basic things that must be done to protect a home or business from hurricane damage. Full article
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The mere mention of the names Katrina, Andrew, Charley, Wilma, and more recently Ike, can conjure up images of widespread destruction and human suffering. These names represent the top five costliest hurricanes in U.S. history with combined insured losses of more than $99.6 billion, excluding flood damage. With each storm have come opportunities to learn new ways to better protect properties against the damaging effects of wind and water.
