The Associate Press reports that the last month of twisters has already made 2011 the deadliest year regarding tornadoes in over five decades. What may be even more disturbing is that the tornado-affected areas have the highest rate of homes without homeowner’s insurance. Consequently, some of the families who need the most insurance-related assistance do not have it and will have a harder time recouping their losses. While the federal government is able to offer some assistance, the law limits the amount of assistance it can provide to $30,300 per household.
The Most Hazard-Prone
The federal government mandates the purchase of flood insurance in specific zones, but homeowner’s insurance is not. So far, the tornadoes have cost the lives of over 450 individuals and over a billion dollars in damage. The state of Mississippi has the second largest percentage of homes in the U.S. to not carry homeowner’s insurance that covers wind damage and is one of the top five states to have the most tornadoes touch the land in the last five years. Arkansas has the fourth largest percentage of uninsured homes in the U.S. and is number 10 in the list of states that are most tornado-prone. Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma are among the top 10 states to have the most tornadoes in the country, and have a high percentage of uninsured homes.
Not Insuring a Home ≠ Money Savings
The reason so many homes in the tornado-torn areas of the U.S. do not have homeowner’s insurance is because the owners no longer have a mortgage, so the banks do not require such coverage. When an individual owns a home and no longer has to make mortgage payments, the decision to purchase homeowners insurance is strictly personal. The AP report associates much of the lack of insurance on the high cost to insure older homes and the higher poverty levels. However, as many homeowners found out, going without homeowner’s insurance will not necessarily save you money in the future.
More than 100,000 households and individuals who are victims of the recent tornadoes are waiting to receive FEMA disaster assistance in order to have access to basic needs, temporary shelter and financial assistance for home repairs. A homeowner’s insurance policy helps provide the funds for hotel costs, meals, property replacement, to rebuild a home and general recovery from a storm. Insurance is a matter of risk, and the question begs: Is it worth foregoing the purchase of insurance in order to save money in the present? The decision is strictly personal.
After the recent swarm of devastating tornadoes, residents in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri must prepare for the continuing prediction of storms. The latest tornado to hit the U.S. left 117 known victims in its wake; it is the deadliest tornado in over 60 years. MSNBC reports that about 1,500 are still missing after the recent storm.
Preparing for a Storm
Experts cannot predict the exact time a tornado will hit. Therefore, it is important for you, your family and business to have an emergency plan that you can implement at a moment’s notice. When creating your emergency disaster plan, include the following:
Know what to do if your family is not together when a storm hits. Include a meet-up spot and instructions for different scenarios. For example, think about what you should do if the kids are at school, a friend’s house or the mall, if you are at work or are out running errands. Each family member should have a list of important phone numbers written down that each person keeps in a wallet or backpack.
Know the safest location in your house in the event of a tornado warning. Keep a battery-operated radio, flashlight, whistles, safety goggles, first aid kit and your emergency disaster kit near this location. You should have enough whistles for each family member to use to call for help if any get caught under debris.
Make an emergency disaster kit that includes water, food, medications, important documents, phone numbers, batteries, blankets, disposable camera, first aid kit, cash and pet supplies (if needed). Use this kit in the event that you cannot live in your home after a storm or you need to evacuate.
If you are a business owner, create a tornado emergency plan and make sure your employees know what to do in the event of a storm. Designate an area of your business as a “safe” area for employees to wait-out a storm and include a battery-operated radio, flashlight, whistles, safety goggles, first aid kit, emergency contact numbers, important documents and the company emergency procedures manual at this location.
Create a plan to recover. Worry about your possessions well before a storm hits or after, but do not risk your life to protect your belongings during a tornado warning. Keep photo negatives and copies of important documents in a safe location away from your home or business, like a bank’s safety deposit box. If you have not done this and a storm hits, remember that you can restore wet documents and damaged photographs with the help of a disaster recovery company.
Tornadoes and storms continued to pummel the South over the weekend, wreaking havoc in 25 North Carolina counties. South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland also issued scattered tornado reports. The North Carolina twisters claimed the lives of 21 people and seriously injured 130 throughout the state, and President Obama has already pledged his support to Governor Beverly Perdue.
The Hardest Hit
Most of the injuries and fatalities occurred to those who were in mobile homes. Shaw University’s campus in Raleigh, NC experienced so much damage that it has cancelled what is left of its spring semester. Governor Perdue reported in an interview that thousands of acres of agricultural land were also destroyed by the tornadoes.
Advanced Planning Pays
A major franchised home improvement store in North Carolina experienced the fruits of its employeeemergency disaster training during the turbulent weekend. Part of the company’s employee training includes directions about what to do in the event of a disaster, such as a tornado. As soon as employees recognized the signs of a tornado, they ordered the customers to go to the back of the store. An MSNBC report states that the employees had 1.5 to 2 minutes to react to the situation and get everyone to the safest area of the store, the back. Despite one customer’s protest, employees were able to get everyone in the building to safety just before a tornado ripped the front of store to shreds of twisted metal and broken glass.
Every company should create a business emergency disaster plan and incorporate it into ongoing employee training. The benefits of taking the time to do so are multi-fold, as employees will know how to act quickly, reach safety and help save the lives of others. A business disaster plan should also include steps to recover after an incident to help ensure speedy business continuity.
Like a scene from a Hollywood production, trees toppled, rooftops flew off houses and cars were tossed like toys as a storm sent tornadoes to pummel the Southern states. Dozens of homes and businesses experienced damage, and residents can expect the severe weather to last through Saturday, according to a report by CNN.
So far, this storm has claimed the lives of nine people and has left 15 injured. Like house fires, tornadoes are unpredictable and require families to act quickly so they can get to a safe location. Commit the following tips to memory before a storm affects your community:
The safest place in your home is in your storm shelter, basement or a room/area on the bottom floor that does not have windows. Examples of such areas include bathrooms, closets, under a stairwell or in a windowless hallway. Put as many walls as you can between you and the outside of your home.
Crouch down on the floor, facing down, and cover your head with your hands. Keep in mind that a bathtub may offer extra protection. If possible, place thick padding over your body, like blankets or pillows.
If you live in a mobile or manufactured home, get out and go to a community storm shelter or to a building that has a permanent foundation. If shelter options are not readily available to you, go outside and lay face down on the ground away from other mobile homes, cars and trees.
Spring officially starts in less than a month, but you wouldn’t know from by looking at the weather across the U.S. and reading predicted forecasts.
Northwest
Snow is falling over parts of the Northwest and northern Rockies that generally do not see snow this late in the winter season. For example, the forecast predicts up to four inches of snowfall in the Seattle, WA and Portland, OR area. Residents in the Northwest are going to have to put off their spring-cleaning for another day and, in the mean time, make sure their plumbing is insulated well to prevent burst pipes and water damage.
South
As the South battles wildfires with their neighboring Eastern states, The Weather Channel predicts a severe storm outbreak in the Dixie Valley—parts of the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley. Meteorologist Dr. Greg Forbes expects the storms to begin as early as Thursday. Residents in this area can expect to see floods, large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.
Those living in this area should prepare emergency disaster kits that contain the phone numbers of their insurance agents and a restorationspecialist. Residents should also be ready to evacuate their homes if directed by emergency personnel.
East
Not getting any breaks from Mother Nature, the Eastern states continue to battle wildfires. Residents are on alert in many communities, and are prepared to evacuate their homes. The low humidity and winds continue to fuel the fires, and this is not expected to change in the immediate future. Like those in the South, residents who are a wildfire should prepare an emergency disaster kit. Learn how to prepare for fire damage.
The Associate Press reports that the last month of twisters has already made 2011 the deadliest year regarding tornadoes in over five decades. What may be even more disturbing is that the tornado-affected areas have the highest rate of homes without homeowner’s insurance. Consequently, some of the families who need the most insurance-related assistance do not have it and will have a harder time recouping their losses. While the federal government is able to offer some assistance, the law limits the amount of assistance it can provide to $30,300 per household.
