Hurricanes do Impact North Alabama

Hurricanes Do Impact North Alabama

Art Glasgow, Peck-Glasgow Insurance

This blog is information shared from Trusted Choice with tip on being prepared:

Severe weather from Hurricane Earl has already started pounding the East Coast while other storms develop in the Atlantic Ocean. Dangerous weather leaves behind paths
of destruction and experts say harsh conditions from these storms are likely from the Carolinas to New England. Are you customers ready?

A recent national survey by Trusted Choice® and the Big “I” found that most Americans are not fully prepared in the event of a natural disaster. Of all survey respondents, less than 22% said they felt they are fully prepared in case of a disaster. More than
half of respondents (51%) admitted they are only somewhat prepared and more than one-fifth of households (22.7%) reported that they were not prepared at all.

Share these tips from Trusted Choice® with your clients by posting them on your agency websites, Facebook page and other social media outlets.

 

• Have a disaster evacuation plan in place. Find out how you and your neighbors would be informed about an imminent disaster. Ask if evacuation routes have been established. Contact your city or town planning
  and emergency assistance organizations. Make sure everyone in your household knows what to do and where to go in a disaster.
• Assemble a disaster supplies kit and heed weather warnings. This kit should include first-aid supplies, non-perishable food, battery-powered flashlights and radio, bottled water and blankets.
• Inventory your belongings. Keep a list and/or videotaped inventory of your valuables in a safe place, along with insurance policies and other important documents.
• Make a utilities checklist. Be sure adults in the household know how to turn off gas, water and other utilities if necessary.
• Review your homeowners insurance coverage. Check annually to make sure you are fully protected in a weather-related disaster.
• Survey the area around your home. Remove dead branches from trees in or near your yard. Bring pets inside, move cars into garages and secure windows, awnings, and lawn furniture. Driving wind
  or hail can cause severe damage to these items.
• Watch for flash floods. Never walk or drive through fast moving water. Flash floods can develop so fast and move so swiftly that they can sweep cars away.
• After a severe storm, report downed utility wires and stay out of damaged buildings and areas.

The Big “I” continues to work with FEMA on how best to address the issue of agents being allowed back into a disaster area after an event has occurred.  As a first step, get involved in emergency planning in your
local community if for no other reason than going on record that your service to your clients will aid in the recovery process and needs to start as soon as the area is declared safe to enter.  Without having the insurance claims process in motion, recovery
will take longer.

 

For additional survey results and tips on hurricanes, flooding and disaster
preparedness planning, click
here. Visit www.TrustedChoice.com
for more consumer information and tips. Also visit www.ready.gov, which provides an overview of an emergency
plan, tips on how to stay in business, what to say to your employees and how to protect business investments.

 

Margarita Tapia (margarita.tapia@iiaba.net)
is Big “I” director of public affairs. To find out more about the Big “I” Flood program – in, above and outside of the NFIP! Visit: 
www.iiaba.net/flood or contact Linda Mackey (linda.mackey@iiaba.net),
Big “I” flood program manager.