StanMac Loc: Tennessee

The Texas Disaster Declaration, which covers Dallas County, states, “Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.”

Stan

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

How awful! I can't imagine how you feel. I suffered a burglary some years back where they stole everything they could carry from my house. It took a long time for me to recover financially, and I'm not sure I'm yet recovered spiritually. May God grant you peace.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

That's a punch in the gut.

Alafoto Loc: Montgomery, AL

Are you a member of PPA. Perhaps they have a way to help. So sorry for your loss.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Sorry for your loss. I have to say , I don't know what the weather predictions were , if you had enough time to before or if you could of driven to the studio when or after it hit. I would of shut the water off & removed anything electronic like cameras & lens, strobes, etc. & if possible drained all the water also. Like I said , sorry for your loss.

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

Jay, is the office in your home or someplace else?
Jon

anotherview Loc: California

I believe the pandemic programs suspended foreclosures. Did you look into that option? As well, you may qualify for some disaster relief. Your member of Congress may point you to some helpful programs.

Meanwhile, learn from this disaster. One, do not cancel insurance. Two, make backups of all your important files to an external source, either the cloud or an external hard drive.

Good luck.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Hi, Jay. Hopes and prayers for a fast recovery from this situation. As a studio operator, I can especially sympathize.

I know that "hopes and prayers" won't immediately fix a dire situation and what you need to concentrate on is your financial and legal position.

I hope your insurance covers the cost of repairs to your location, any loss or damage to your equipment, and provides some compensation for business interruption. I hope there is no "small print" in your policy that precludes compensation in the event of natural disasters or "act of God, etc. Insurance companies are not my favourite folks- oftentimes they want their premiums on time but tend to drag out claims.

Up here in Canada, we are used to ice and snow but Covide has devastated many small businesses. I haven't shot many portraits or any weddings since the first lockdown but thankfully I have some commercial and industrial work. A few government emergency programmes allowed me to pay my two employees and somehow keep the doors open and the lights on.

Please don't give up! May I suggest: Inquire of your State and the Federal Government and see what programmes you may benefit from- hopefully there are relief packages in the works and will soon become a reality. I think there's currently a morritourum of home foreclosures.

Consider expanding into more commercial or location work, until your studio is repaired.

Photograph all the damages to your studio and nat broke o or waterlogged gear and secure estimates for repairs and replacements. Documentation is important.

Sometimes in situations like your own, there are class-action lawsuits filed against governments and electric companies- keep informed and check it out.

I know that it is shocking and discouraging to get that call in the middle of the night and find all that destruction but you need to focus on every possible remedy. We all will eventually all come out on the other end of Covid and life will resume.

I am pleased to hear that you and your family have sustained no injuries in all that mess. I couldn't believe the present conditions in Texas. Some year ago, during my army training, I took some courses in Texas and visited Presidio it was 111 degrees F. that week!

Please let us know how you are progressing.

fotobyferg

“I hope your insurance covers the cost of repairs to your location, any loss or damage to your equipment, and provides some compensation for business interruption. I hope there is no "small print" in your policy that precludes compensation in the event of natural disasters or "act of God, etc. Insurance companies are not my favourite folks- oftentimes they want their premiums on time but tend to drag out claims.”

You missed the part in the OP’s post stating he had canceled his insurance.

A terribly unfortunate series of events.

Arizona Art Loc: SE Florida

Small businesses can apply for the Paycheck Protection Program and/or the EIDL program. Both programs are designed to help businesses ravaged by the pandemic. Both programs are SBA sponsored. You apply through a local lender. If you need more info, PM me. I am a SCORE small business mentor in Arizona. Texas has many chapters of SCORE who can help you navigate the intricacies of the process.

Do a google search for SBA PPP and EIDL programs. And do a google search for a SCORE chapter near you. SCORE mentoring is a free service.

Best wishes and good luck.

Good lick!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

That really is an unfortunate situation! Maybe set up a Go Fund Me account? As others have said, don't be shy about seeking any and every form of relief available, whether it's from the private or public sector.


At any rate, we should ALL be cognizant that floods, freezing, ice storms, blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning storms, hail, forest fires, etc. WILL become more common as the climate changes. We should prepare accordingly.

State governments that do nothing to prepare for this kind of eventuality should rethink that stance! Infrastructures should be over-built enough to withstand disasters such as this one. This blackout most likely would not have happened to this level of severity in most other states, because they have different standards for energy transmission and distribution, and they can purchase power from neighboring utilities in other states.

Now about those power bills... It's nice to be deregulated until it's not... When storms kill people and ruin businesses due to severe infrastructure breakdown, it's time to change the guard.

anotherview Loc: California

He cancelled his insurance before disaster struck.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

So sorry for you loss, Jay.

anotherview Loc: California

The Go Fund option sounds attractive.

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

Sorry to hear about your studio and all the damage. Maybe a family member or someone will start a gofundme.com to help offset some of the loss.

Anyway good luck and best wishes. Stay safe

Chuck