Immediate Actions and Proactive Preparedness for Imminent Disasters
In a recent opinion piece, Alice Young, owner of Brown O’Haver public insurance adjusters, shares personal experiences and offers practical advice on preparing for imminent disasters like fires and tornadoes. She recounts a situation where her sister faced an approaching wildfire in Pasadena, California, highlighting the urgency of knowing what actions to take when evacuation becomes necessary.
Immediate Actions Before Evacuating:
Prioritize Safety: Ensure the safety of yourself and your family above all else. If there's any doubt about your safety, evacuate immediately without gathering belongings.
Gather Essential Items: If time permits, collect vital items such as medications, important documents (identification, passports, deeds, wills, vehicle registrations, proof of ownership, and insurance policies).
Document Your Home: Use your phone to record a quick video tour of your home, opening drawers and cabinets to capture their contents. This process should take less than five minutes and can be invaluable for insurance claims.
Proactive Preparedness Tips:
Regular Policy Reviews: Annually assess your insurance policy to ensure adequate coverage for your home and personal property.
Digital Record-Keeping: Maintain an online cloud file for receipts of valuable items like electronics and furniture, updating it with recent purchases.
Photographic Inventory: Take yearly photos of each room in your home from multiple angles to document your belongings.
Home Fortification: Explore programs such as the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Program, which offers grants to residents for making construction repairs using the FORTIFIED method. This approach enhances your home's resilience against disasters and may lead to insurance premium discounts.
Prepare a "Go Bag": Especially important in disaster-prone areas, a go bag should include water, non-perishable food, emergency blankets, lighting, first aid supplies, sturdy shoes, cash, spare glasses, personal hygiene items, and a change of clothes. Reserve these supplies exclusively for emergencies.
Young emphasizes that while living in areas susceptible to natural disasters can be stressful, proactive preparation provides a sense of control during unpredictable situations. Her insights underscore the importance of readiness to mitigate the impact of such events.
For more information on disaster preparedness and insurance claims assistance, you can visit Brown O’Haver's website.
Additionally, Alice Young has shared her expertise in various interviews, such as this one:
Tags: Public Insurance Adjuster, Insurance Claim Adjuster, Emergency Evacuation Tips, Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Recovery Planning, Fire Evacuation Procedures, Tornado Safety Measures
