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Wednesday, October 7th, 2009October 4th – October 10th is National Fire Prevention Week. Please take this reminder to prepare your home and family for a fire or other natural disasters. In the last couple of months, thousands of firefighters have converged on a series of fire storms that have devastated California. In the “mega fires” of 2003, over 2,600 homes were destroyed and 750,000 acres of valuable property went up in smoke. Losses will continue to grow as more people move into semi-rural areas. Stopping these fires is not just about saving lives and property today but for tomorrow as well.
Fire storms and other natural disasters can devastate communities and lives, burning hundreds of homes at a time. They are very difficult to stop once started; and they are very costly to homeowners, local communities and state/federal agencies. Although we would like to believe “a disaster will never happen to me,” it could! And people continue to report, “I wasn’t prepared.”
According to Joe Kerr, President Orange County Firefighters, “The time to protect your home and valuables is before a fire starts, once the fire has started – it’s time to evacuate and save your life. In the event of a fire, our jobs are to protect/preserve life then property.”
In California, we are fortunate, as there are a number of resources to assist homeowners before a disaster strikes! Preparation does not only include clear-cutting brush around your property, but it also includes making sure you are properly organized. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before a disaster happens to you:
- Do you have copies of important documents in a safety deposit box or a fire proof safe?
- Do you back-up important information on your computer and store it off-site?
- Are your family photos and other “can’t be replaced” items easily accessible?
- Will your current homeowners policy pay to rebuild your house completely (many don’t)?
- Do you have a video tape of the contents of your home so you can prove what you had?
Many local fire agencies and insurance companies have divisions that will send a consultant to discuss the survivability of your home in the event of a wildland fire. They will also have additional information about brush management and local landscape regulations.
The American Red Cross and the California Department of Insurance also want you to plan ahead. The American Red Cross stresses the importance of being prepared before a disaster strikes. According to Chris Marek, Chief Officer of Development and Communications, American Red Cross San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter, “REALTORS® are an integral part of this message because they have direct access to our community of homebuyers. We encourage REALTORS® to not only keep themselves informed and prepared but to inform their clients on how they too can protect their homes. Go to PrepareSanDiego.org to learn more.”
In addition to local fire agencies, government agencies and community services, a number of insurance companies offer clients an assessment of property and recommendations on fire prevention. As the C.A.R. endorsed insurance broker, CSI is partnering with REALTORS® to spread the word about fire preparedness.
Please contact any of the links below for more information, or go to www.costelloandsons.com for links to videos.
California Department of Insurance
California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
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