Incidents - CAL FIRE Home

Hey San Diego, fire season is coming.  Did you know that you can get current information about fires in your area?  Go to http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current for more information!
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*** Servpro of Point Loma is a Ready San Diego Business Alliance Member. Feel free to contact us anytime for safety tips!

Flood Safety Awareness Week: March 15 - 19

id you know that we're in the midst of Flood Safety Awareness Week?  According to FEMA, flooding is the nation's number one natural disaster.  In fact "20 to 25 percent of all flood insurance claims are filed in low-to-moderate flood-risk areas".  That's a very surpring statistic!  Servpro of Point Loma is a stong believer in the "you can never be too prepared" motto... that's why we're posting FEMA's latest press release on flood safety.  This information might be the difference between a minor inconvenience and a disaster for you!

Flood Safety Awareness Week
           March 15-19, 2010


Property owners and renters need to know that they can take steps to protect their property and financial security before disaster strikes. However, many eligible residents are unaware that they qualify or that affordable flood insurance is available. Residents can begin to take steps now to protect their home and assets from rising floodwaters at any time.

• Make sure gutters and drains are cleared. Clean and maintain storm drains and gutters and remove debris from your property to allow free flow of potential floodwater.
• Move valuables and sentimental items to the highest floor of your home or business.
• Install backflow valves in waste lines to keep water flowing in one direction.
• Protect your well from contamination.
• Anchor or elevate fuel tanks and elevate the main breaker or fuse box and the utility meters above the anticipated flood level in your home or business, so that floodwater won’t damage utilities.
• Make sure you have the right insurance: Review your insurance policies and find out what they do and do not cover. Learn the difference between replacement cost coverage versus standard coverage, which only pays the actual cash value of insured property. Be sure that you have enough insurance to cover recent home renovations or improvements.
• Know that most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage, so be sure to consider flood insurance for both your structure and its contents. There is typically a 30 day waiting period for a flood insurance policy to take effect. Learn more by visiting FloodSmart.gov and http://www.fema.gov/.
• Learn your flood risk. Properties that are not located within high-risk areas can also flood. Find out your flood risk right now by entering your address at FloodSmart.gov “Assess Your Risk.” Insurance agents can also help check your risk.
• Purchase a flood insurance policy. If you already have a flood policy, remember: your policy needs to be renewed each year.
• Plan and practice a flood evacuation route, ask someone out of state to be your “family contact” in an emergency, and make sure everyone knows the contact’s address and phone number.
• Build an emergency supply kit: Food, bottled water, first aid supplies, medicines, and a battery-operated radio should be ready to go when you are. Visit http://www.ready.gov/ for a complete disaster supply checklist.
• Inventory your household possessions: For insurance purposes, be sure to keep a written and visual (i.e., videotaped or photographed) record of all major household items and valuables, even those stored in basements, attics or garages. Create files that include serial numbers and store receipts for major appliances and electronics. Have jewelry and artwork appraised. These documents are critically important when filing insurance claims.
• Store copies of irreplaceable financial and family documents in a safe place, preferably one that is protected from both fire and water. Documents include automobile titles, tax records, stock and bond certificates, deeds, wills, trust agreements, birth and marriage certificates, photos, passports and insurance policies. Keep originals in a rented safe deposit box. And don’t forget the household inventory file!

Flood insurance is available through nearly 100 insurance companies in more than 21,000 participating communities nationwide. Everyone can purchase flood insurance – renters, business owners, and homeowners. Nation-wide, the average flood insurance policy costs around $563 a year. And in low- to moderate-risk areas, lower-cost Preferred Risk Policies (PRPs) start at just $119 a year. Individuals can learn more about their flood risk and how to protect their property by visiting www.FloodSmart.gov or by calling 1-800-427-2419.
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|*** Servpro of Point Loma is a Ready San Diego Business Alliance Member. Feel free to contact us anytime for safety tips!

CAL FIRE Urges Californians To "Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries"

It's that time again... daylight savings time!  Our friends at the California Department of Foresty and Fire Protection have issued an excellent press release - "Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries" - reminding you to check the batteries in your fire alarm.  Their press release is below:

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CAL FIRE NEWS RELEASE

Sacramento – With the switch to Daylight saving time this Sunday, March 14, CAL FIRE and the Office of the State Fire Marshal are reminding all California residents to change their smoke alarm batteries when setting their clocks.


Every year, lives are lost due to inoperative smoke alarms. More than 66 percent of home fire deaths that occurred between 2003 and 2006 were in homes without a working smoke alarm, according to the National Fire Protection Association. The changing of the clocks provides an ideal reminder to change your smoke alarm batteries at least twice a year.

“With proper maintenance and regular testing, smoke alarms play a pivotal role in the early notification of a fire emergency,” said Chief Tonya Hoover, acting state fire marshal. “By taking just a few seconds each year to replace the battery, you can truly make a difference in protecting your family and your home.”

CAL FIRE has the following tips on smoke alarms:

• Test smoke alarms once a month.
• Replace batteries in all smoke alarms twice a year.
• Don’t “borrow” or remove batteries from smoke alarms even temporarily.
• Regularly vacuum or dust smoke alarms to keep them working properly.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
• Don’t paint over smoke alarms.
• Practice family fire drills so everyone knows what to do if the smoke alarm goes off.

To find more information on fire safety and fire protection visit the CAL FIRE Web site at http://www.fire.ca.gov/

*** Servpro of Point Loma is a Ready San Diego Business Alliance Member. Feel free to contact us anytime for safety tips! ***

SDIAA Vendor Night! - Servpro of Point Loma Will Be There!!

The San Diego Insurance Adjusters Association (SDIAA), founded in 1945, is San Diego's oldest and largest professional claims organization.  Servpro of Point Loma will be exhibiting at their 2010 Vendors Night on March 12, 2010.  Hope to see you there!  We'll be the vendors wearing tie dyed t-shirts!! 

*** Servpro of Point Loma is a Ready San Diego Business Alliance Member. Feel free to contact us anytime for safety tips! ***

San Diego Home Fires... How To Prevent Them!

Did you know that Servpro of Point Loma is a big fan of Twitter (we're ServproPtLoma)!?  We think it's a great way to keep in touch with our friends, customers, and the local community!  It's also a great way to distribute important information on the fly.  One of our favorites to follow is the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.  They not only tweet up-to-date information about fires in San Diego county, but they also post extremely helpful fire safety and prevention articles on their website http://www.fire.ca.gov/.  The article below came straight from their education series.

Safe Home Heating

Home fires often occur during the cold winter due to dangerous heating equipment or unsafe practices. Here are some important safety tips to help keep your home safe and warm this winter:

• Never use flammable liquids or excessive amounts of paper to start or accelerate a fire.
• Charcoal gives off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide. Do not burn it indoors.
• Keep flammables away from heat sources. Wood stoves require a 36” clearance from combustible surfaces.
• The use of kerosene heaters inside the home is prohibited in California (Sec. 19881, Health and Safety Code).
• Keep children away from heat sources.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Wood stoves should be UL approved.
• Never attempt to heat a structure with a device that was designed for outdoor use, such as a camp stove.
• Have a professional inspect and clean your chimney, stovepipe and/or furnace annually. Do not attempt repairs yourself.
• Keep a metal or glass screen in front of the fireplace opening. Make sure the damper is open before lighting.
• Check furnace control and emergency shut-offs to be sure they are working properly.

For more tips and other helpful information, go to http://www.fire.ca.gov/.


*** Servpro of Point Loma is a Ready San Diego Business Alliance Member. Feel free to contact us anytime for safety tips! ***