The Citizen, 2017-10-26, Page 26cat r
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PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017.
Know what to do after incurring storm damage
A difficult situation
With high winds and storms on the rise due to climate change, knowing what to do after your
home has been damaged in a storm is more important now than ever. (Ms Photo)
MS — The 2017 hurricane season
proved especially devastating for
millions of people in both Texas and
Florida. Upon making landfall in
Texas in late August, Hurricane
Harvey became the first Category 3
or higher hurricane in the United
States since Hurricane Wilma in
2005. In its wake, Harvey left
damage that Texas governor Greg
Abbott estimated could cost as much
as $180 billion to repair.
Just a couple of weeks after
Hurricane Harvey touched down,
Hurricane Irma hit Florida as a
Category 4 storm, knocking out
power to nearly seven million
people.
Severe storms like hurricanes do
not discriminate, and when such
storms finally dissipate, people from
all walks of life are left to deal with
the often devastating consequences.
Property damage is one such
consequence, and the following are
some things people can do in the
aftermath of storms that caused
damage to their property.
• Contact your insurance
provider: Not all damage resulting
from storms will necessarily be
covered by insurance policies, but
it's still imperative that people
contact their insurance companies as
soon as possible after their homes or
vehicles have been damaged. Agents
can help policy holders learn if their
policies cover the damage done to
their property and to what extent
their coverage will help them
recover. Many people will likely be
making similar calls, so policy
holders should try to be as patient as
possible.
• Document the damage: People
whose property has been damaged
should use their smartphones and
cameras to document the damage as
extensively as possible. Take photos
from various angles before you
begin cleaning up. Providers may
require visual evidence of the
damage before they begin
processing your claim, so ask about
those requirements when contacting
your insurance agent.
• Avoid downed power lines: In
addition to protecting the
investments you have made in your
property and your possessions, it's
important to remember to protect
yourself. Avoid downed power lines,
reporting any to your local power
company as soon as you see them.
• Let the professionals do the
work: It can be tempting for
After a house fire, know
exactly how to proceed
Continued from page 23
for the first time after a fire, men and
women must recognize the need to
remain patient as they formulate and
execute a plan to clean up their
homes.
• Contact a disaster relief
service: The local branch of a
disaster relief service like the
Salvation Army can help victims of
home structure fires find lodging,
food, clothing, and medicine. Don't
hesitate to reach out to such
organizations for assistance.
• Do not enter the home until the
fire department deems it safe to do
so: Even fires that appear to be out
can start again. In addition, the
USFA advises that roofs and floors,
even those that appear sturdy to the
naked eye, can still fall down after
the blaze has been extinguished.
Avoid entering a home until you
have been given the go-ahead by the
local fire department.
• Contact the police and your
insurance agent: Victims of home
structure fires whose homes are
uninhabitable should contact their
local police departments and their
insurance agents to inform them
about the fire and that they will not
be living there. Police departments
and/or home insurance providers
may require that holes in walls and
broken windows be boarded up to
prevent trespassers from gaining
entry to the home. Renters should
contact their landlords immediately
as well.
• Be careful with items that were
not burned: The USFA notes that
even items that were not burned may
still have been ruined by smoke or
been soaked with water. Carefully
clean any items that you think can be
salvaged before using them.
• Save all receipts spent on
repairs: Insurance companies may
require receipts to confirm spending
on repairs, and such receipts may
also be required for people who want
to claim losses on their tax returns.
Home structure fires can turn lives
upside down. But following the
advice of local fire departments and
accepting the assistance of local
relief organizations can make the
recovery process go as smoothly as
possible.
Q.
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i;;*
Scott McDonald
General Carpenter
Fully Licensed Carpenter
Over 10 Years Experience!
Renoirl ions
Clearv�euu ..:.. ..:
42475 Moncrieff Rd.,
R.R. #2 Blyth, ON NOM 1H0
519.955.1215
homeowners to try to do some
electrical work around their homes
after their homes have been
damaged by storms. Electricians are
likely busy and might not be able to
assess or repair damage for days, if
not weeks. But it's still best to wait
and allow professionals to do the
work. Experienced professionals
recognize potentially harmful, if
not deadly, issues that may be
lurking beneath the damage, so
it's always best to leave the work
to private electricians or local
power company work crews.
• Revisit insurance policies:
After suffering damage to their
homes or vehicles, men and women
may benefit by revisiting their
coverage and increasing that
coverage in anticipation of future
disasters.
Storm damage can turn
individuals' lives upside down. But
remaining calm and working in
harmony with insurance agencies
and power companies can help storm
victims recover quickly.
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