Even if you’ve made efforts to protect your home or business, it’s a wise idea to reassess your plans on how to protect your property from wildfires.
Wildfires are frequent natural disasters that can seriously harm residents and commercial establishments, resulting in property loss, financial pressure, and even fatalities. While many property owners take precautions to protect their possessions from wildfire damage, it’s vital to realize that the risk of such loss is constant and subject to vary over time. With the help of Cincinnati Insurance Companies, let’s talk about why, what, and how homeowners and business owners should prepare for wildfires.
WHY – THE VALUE IN PREPARATION
Before catastrophe hits, do it. Making arrangements in advance helps lessen the stress of an event while it’s happening. It is too late to properly prepare once the wildfire begins to spread. So instead of being afraid of it, embrace it and know how to protect your property from wildfires.
WHAT – BEING PROACTIVE
Involving everybody in your house or place of business, create an emergency preparedness plan.
- Analyze and address the particular circumstances in your family. Do you have young children, elderly relatives, or family members with disabilities or special needs? Do you have beloved pets or irreplaceable collections? Do you have household help?
- Analyze and address the particular circumstances of your business. Do any of your employees have kids or animals? Are there any potentially dangerous or flammable materials there?
- Prepare for the worst possible scenario; if anything less occurs, you will be over-prepared! Even details as specific as being aware of your escape routes. Planning out multiple routes in case any roads are closed or obstructed can be a life-saving detail.
- Build an emergency kit with a 3-day supply of water and food per person. Consider the most convenient and accessible locations to keep these kits. Your home, workplace & vehicle is a good start.
- Prepare your building such that it can withstand a wildfire unattended and stand alone. Build with fire-resistant materials. To make a secure barrier between your structure and the wild lands, clear the brush. Trees that hang over structures should be pruned.
- Make sure first responders can reach your property or place of business. Be sure the street numbers on your house or place of business are readable and noticeable. For emergency vehicle access, driveways need to be at least 12 feet wide and have a 15-foot vertical clearance. If your property is gated, install a secure box for your keys or, if you must evacuate, leave your gate propped open.
- Practice your wildfire preparation plan. You might find weaknesses in your preparedness strategy, such as missing supplies or insufficient communication methods.
HOW – TAKE ACTION NOW, DON’T JUST THEORIZE
Obeying all evacuation orders issued by local authorities is crucial to ensure the safety of individuals and their families during a wildfire. It’s essential to take these orders seriously and act quickly to evacuate the area when instructed to do so. Ignoring evacuation orders can put not only your life at risk but also the lives of first responders who may need to put themselves in harm’s way to rescue you.
This article on how to protect your property from wildfires is solely intended as a guide. The management and oversight of loss control efforts are not assumed by the authors. The list of exposures in this article is not exhaustive. Reach out to The Feltner Group today for more information about personal property insurance coverage & more.