Preparedness on a Budget

It is no secret that many families and individuals are looking to cut back on spending. But with the frequency of disasters, both natural and manmade, can you afford not to be prepared? Preparedness doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. September is National Preparedness Month, and we are asking you to help your family and friends prepare for whatever may come. Here are a few tips* on how you can protect those that matter to you without spending a fortune.

• Make a Plan. Work with you family and neighbors to make an emergency plan for the types of disasters that affect your area. Make sure everyone in your family understands where to go and what to do in case of an emergency. You can download Family Emergency Plan templates www.ready.gov/make-a-plan

• Update Contact Information. Having accurate records for family, friends and neighbors will help you stay in contact and possibly help those in need. Make sure updated contact information is posted in visible places throughout your house and workplace.

• Check Your Policy. Review your insurance policy annually and make any necessary changes – renters, too! When a disaster strikes, you want to know that your coverage will get you back on your feet.

• Make a Ready List. You may not need all of the items in ready-made preparedness kits. Choose the essentials that fit your needs and budget. Don’t forget to keep supplies at work and in your car. Sample Ready Lists can be found at www.ready.gov/document/family-supply-list

• Plan Your Purchases. You can save money by thinking ahead. Don’t buy preparedness items just before a storm when they’re expensive and supplies will be in high demand. Buy items at the end of the season when you can get good deals.

• Shop Sales. Shop at sales and used goods stores. Buy preparedness items throughout the year, instead of all at once, and you won’t notice the cost as much.

• Make Sure it Keeps. Store water in safe, containers. You don’t need to buy expensive bottled water, just make sure your water containers are disinfected and airtight

• Request a Gift. We all get things we don’t need. Suggest preparedness supplies as gifts from your friends and family. It just might save your life.

• Trade a Night Out. Trade one night out to fund your 72-hour kit. Taking a family of four to the movies can cost upwards of $80. Just one night staying in could fund your Ready kit.

*The best tip: start now. Take small steps toward preparedness and before you know it, you will be Ready! 

Got Jewelry?

We spent a little time chatting this week with our friend Carl Phillips, one of the top producers CT Lowndes here in the Lowcountry.  The topic of conversation?  Jewelry!  We were surprised to hear that Carl does NOT recommend you add your jewelry to your homeowner’s policy.  Instead, he suggests a personal articles floater for his clientele. 

According to Carl, separate coverage often results in higher limits, fewer exclusions, and the most important benefit:  Jewelry claims do not affect the homeowner coverage.  Jewelry and valuable personal items are not always actually in the home when they are lost or stolen.  However, when attached to the homeowner coverage, a claim of any size shows as a loss and counts against a “claim free” rating.   This causes many homeowners to choose to resist making the claim and simply take the loss of the jewelry in order to protect their policy premiums. 

Interested in hearing more about how you can effectively cover your valuable personal items?  Please contact Carl for details and a quote customized to suit your needs.  Be sure to tell him his friends at SERVPRO of Greater Northern Charleston sent you!  

Click this link for all of his contact information or contact SERVPRO of Greater Northern Charleston and ask for Beth. 

Two Step Approach to Disaster Readiness

North Charleston, SC (Grassroots Newswire) August 22, 2013 - There is no predicting when or where a disaster may strike, leaving property destruction and damage in its wake. But National Preparedness Month, sponsored each year in September by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), focuses the nation’s attention on the steps home and business owners can and should take to be ready to respond to emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters.

“SERVPRO^® professionals know a lot about disaster cleanup,” said Brandon Ferm, Owner of SERVPRO^® of Greater Northern Charleston. “And one of the most important things we know is that it’s better to take steps to prevent or minimize damage from an unexpected weather event or other disaster than it is to try to clean up after it. That’s why we emphasize the importance of readiness to our clients through SERVPRO’s ‘Emergency READY Program.’ Being ‘READY’ can make the difference between moving back into your home or losing it – or staying in business or closing the doors forever.”

As a National Sponsor of the American Red Cross Ready Rating Program^TM and the originator of SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Program, SERVPRO^® is uniquely positioned to offer North Charleston area home and business owners guidance on a robust, two-step approach to disaster planning and recovery, encompassing both readiness and recovery planning, according to Ferm.

Step 1: Readiness Planning

Knowledge is power, and the American Red Cross Ready Rating™ program is designed to help home and business owners assess their level of preparedness for weather-related or other emergencies in advance.  This free, web-based program, available at readyrating.org, walks responsible parties at businesses, organizations and schools through a 123-point self-assessment of their establishment’s level of preparedness for weather-related or other emergencies, and then offers tips and best practices to help improve their readiness.

Step 2: Recovery Planning

Through SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Program, local schools, businesses and other establishments can arrange for a SERVPRO^® of Greater Northern Charleston disaster recovery professional to establish an Emergency READY Profile^® (ERP) for their facility, at no charge. The ERP is a comprehensive document containing critical information about the business, including emergency contact information, shut-off valve locations and priority areas. In the event of an emergency, the ERP can help minimize business interruption by ensuring there is an immediate plan of action already in place for the facility. If disaster strikes and damages the business, the ERP can save the property owner both time and money during the recovery period. Smartphone app and web versions of the Emergency READY Program are also available.

“This two-step approach to disaster readiness makes perfect sense,” said Rick Isaacson, Executive Vice President of SERVPRO Industries, Inc., “because it provides a complete readiness solution for businesses and other property owners. In Step One, The Red Cross Ready Rating Program gives individuals the knowledge they need to take all necessary steps before disaster strikes to protect their property from damage and loss. Step Two kicks in when disaster does strike and fast response is key to minimizing damage and downtime. Knowing what to do and who to call saves critical time – and that’s where SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Program can help. Together, these two programs offer maximum peace of mind to businesses and other organizations.”

SERVPRO^® of Greater Northern Charleston specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers. North Charleston area residents are encouraged to contact BrandonFerm of SERVPRO^® of Greater Northern Charleston at (843) 747-8750 or beready@servproofgnc.com or visit www.servpronortherncharleston.com for information on readiness resources including SERVPRO’s free READY Plan Mobile Application, available on all smartphones.

For more information on the Red Cross Ready Rating program, please visit http://readyrating.org/.