7 Tips To Keep Your Home or Business Safer from Fire This Winter

With Thanksgiving now over, we have the remaining holidays to look forward to. For the northerners reading this blog, you have a lot of SNOW and freezing weather ahead. Are you prepared?

As public adjusters, we know the colder months also cause a spike in tragic house fires, because people are staying indoors for activities like cooking and smoking, not to mention the increased usage of electrical items. However, a destructive or fatal fire can usually be prevented by taking a few precautionary measures.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), there were 501,500 structure fires causing 2,685 civilian deaths in 2015. Most of these occurred during the coldest months from October to March.

There are several things you can do to prevent this from happening to you. Some are free, and those that aren’t free are affordable. The biggest hurdle is simply doing them! As per the NFPA, here are 7 different areas that need to be addressed, with an accompanying tip for each:
Smoke Alarms: There should be one smoke alarm on every level of the home, and one both inside and outside each sleeping area.
Cooking Safety: Keep the cooking area free from items that can catch fire.
Electrical & Appliance Safety: Do not run electrical cords under rugs.
Candle Safety: Candles should be in sturdy, fire-proof containers that can’t easily be tipped over.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Carbon monoxide alarms must be located on each level of the home.
Smoking Safety: Ask family members who smoke to buy fire-safe cigarettes and smoke outside.
Heating Safety: Be sure the chimney and furnace are cleaned and inspected yearly.

These tips will certainly get you started on the road to having peace of mind but if you want full confidence then check out this downloadable house fire prevention checklist. Included within the checklist are 20 more tips and a quick reference list for developing a home escape plan.

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Thanksgiving is the #1 Day for House Fires: Here’s Why

Why do more house fires occur and more people die from October through April?

Simple. It’s the holidays.

There is no other season where more people turn on their heat, cook meals indoors and invite friends and family into their homes. During the holidays these three things together cause more happiness and misery than any other time throughout the year. The biggest culprit among them all is Thanksgiving.

In fact, “Cooking fires in residential buildings occurred more often on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year.” – NFPA

Thousands of cooking fires are reported on Thanksgiving every year causing tragic and even fatal events with property damage soaring into the millions. According to G.I. Joe, “Knowing is half the battle”, so here are tips to help you avoid one of the greatest reasons for cooking fires across America on Thanksgiving Day.

4 Turkey Fryer Safety Tips:

Turkey fryers often tip over.
Too much oil will cause splashing onto the burner.
Overly hot oil will ignite.
A hot fryer can burn hands and cause accidental reactions.

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5 Post-Hurricane Matthew Resources for Cumberland County Residents

Hurricane Resources, Insurance Claim Help, Public Adjusters / By Jeremy Walls

The surrounding Fayetteville, N.C. area is still seeing the aftermath unfold. Flooding, water damage, and lingering effects of the storm are an ever-present reality in the wake of recovery. Roadways are still closed, boiling alerts are just now being lifted, and many places are still under water waiting for the floods to recede. With rebuilding and recovery in mind, here are the top five post hurricane resources for the greater Cumberland County area.

Navigating road hazards and city maintenance

Fayetteville infrastructure has been devastated by washouts, flash flooding, standing water, downed trees and debris in roadways. The old saying “turn around, don’t drown” is still in full effect. The city of Fayetteville has to be given credit for taking questions and concerns head on in online forums, Facebook groups, and online at the city’s website. Rebuilding is neither a quick nor an easy task. Meanwhile you can stay up-to-date on current road closures on the city’s web page.

Short term property rentals

For many of those who were displaced for the storm, the reality of moving “home” isn’t quite a reality at this point. Shelters are full, with some closing as the state of emergency is lifted around the area. So where can people turn for the simplistic necessity like a roof over their head? The Cumberland County Housing Resource list is a great start for those looking to rent while they clean or rebuild. Also, the Department of Development website offers plenty of useful information regarding community rebuilding. The Department of Development committee can be contacted by phone, email, or social media all found on the website.

Food and alleviation

420 Dunn Rd. is most likely an address you’ve seen on the Internet, seen on local TV or heard on the radio. Covenant Love Church assembles volunteers 6 days a week, Monday-Saturday starting at 8:00 a.m., and closes with a hot meal at 5:00 p.m. Teamed up with Operation Blessing out of Virginia Beach, the Church has done massive cleanup over the past several weeks. If you’re in need of assistance, stop by 9:30am-4:30pm to request help. If you’d like to help, show up at 8:00 a.m. to fill out the volunteer form. For more information, check their Facebook page.
Another organization offering help is Manna Church Cliffdale. The Cliffdale site of the mega church is branching out with “adopt a block” to serve the community. Based out of two locations, 5117 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville and 3744 Legion Road, Hope Mills, the church is offering a noticeable helping hand in Cumberland County.

Counseling services

In times of crisis, people often find a way to get through the immediate situation only to put off and repress their true feelings as time marches on and they begin to fully process the trauma. A couple of places offering help are Grays Creek Christian Center in Hope Mills and Mt Olive Missionary Baptist in Fayetteville.

Insurance claim assistance

Dealing with insurance companies can be the biggest pain during recovery. The process can even be daunting when it comes to estimating the damage. Not only can a Public Adjuster help someone recover between 30-70% more money, they can also make the process less of a headache. We are regularly answering questions and offering advice to help people get the most from their claim. Chat with us live through our website or Facebook page throughout the week. Or visit our Hurricane Matthew Insurance Claim Help page for more information. You can always call or email if this is better!

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3 Home Insurance Claims That Show Why You Need a Public Adjuster

Insurance Claim Help, Public Adjusters / By Jeremy Walls

I have never seen such an amount of proof of the corruption many insurance companies participate in while they “help” their customer through the claim’s process.

I know it might seem hardly believable if you are a good citizen who has been paying premiums on time and to a highly-rated insurance company. However, I guarantee nearly all people felt the same way prior to seeing it with their own eyes. I’ve seen it with my own eyes and feel compelled to openly share my experience in hopes of encouraging you to have your claim reviewed by an experienced public adjuster early on in the process.

As the operating COO of Claim Management Adjusters, one of my main duties has been to craft and launch the estimating service we provide contractors, other public adjusters and nearly anyone busy with insurance claim settlements. To date, I have never been exposed to the inner-workings of more estimates any other time in my professional career.

Here are a few before & after examples:

These examples are taken from homeowner insurance claims I’ve personally witnessed where the insurance adjuster gives the customer an estimate based on their scope of loss, and then upon CMA’s review, a new estimate outlining what the customer is actually owed is presented.

Ex 1: Louisiana Residential Flood Insurance Claim

Original estimate completed by the insurance company: $99,200
Estimate completed by us: $135,200
A difference of $36,000

Ex 2: Indiana Residential Fire Insurance Claim

Estimate completed by the insurance company: $44,000
Estimate completed by us: $89,000
A 200%+ increase the insured can now use for making repairs

Ex 3: Indiana Roof & Exterior Insurance Claim

Estimate completed by the insurance company: $13,800
Estimate completed by us: $22,000
$8,200 missed by the insurance company

I hope this shows you a little of what I see each day. There is no doubt in my mind that every home and business owner who suffers an insurable loss should at least have their insurance claim reviewed by an experienced public adjuster as early in the insurance claim settlement process as possible.

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How much should your settlement be?

If you have experienced a home loss, do not hesitate and speak with on of our damage experts. enter your information or call (317) 342-7540 as soon as possible

Jeremy Walls