Disaster Recovery News

Flint, Michigan has an epidemic of empty foreclosed homes that are in line to be demolished in October. One home that was unlike the others with this fate had one difference: someone was living in it.

The Washington Post raised this question: “If a fire destroys a home that doesn’t really belong to anyone and is worth next to nothing, does it matter?”

It is estimated that 25% of vacant homes are intentionally set on fire. What is the way to prevent fires in vacant homes according to the NFPA? Prevent the vacancy of the homes by having homeowners in them.

Currently, if a home is foreclosed, it may be occupied by the homeless, drug dealers, or those looking to congregate. It is reported that most of the home fires started in vacant homes are caused by vandals or unsheltered individuals looking to stay warm and fed.

When firefighters began to find people in the so-called vacant homes, they began to wonder what was going on-they thought no one was inside. They then began to anticipate finding dwellers within vacant homes they responded to and began to assess the fires and how they should be fought.

More on this story.

Learn how specialists can help restore a home after a fire.

A man in Massachusetts with all the right intentions wanted to help his 80-year-old mother by quickly riding her back porch of ice so she would not fall.

The Boston Globe reports the man was hesitant to use salt since it could corrode the bricks on the building. However, sand and salts were used on the front porch. Using a snow shovel was a bit more work than the man was willing to do. The next best idea that came to mind was fire.

The man grabbed the blowtorch he used to light his grill and attempted to combat the ice:

“…The fire quickly jumped to the vinyl siding on the back of the house on Davis Street and shot up four stories, charring much of the rear of the house. Several windows were broken and, on other parts of the facade, the wood frame of the house was exposed.”

No one was injured in the fire. Read the full story.

Cold weather can make people do funny things. Educate yourself on how to keep you and your family warm safely during these cold winter months. Also, learn tips about fire restoration.

This week was National Fire Safety Week in the U.S.

The National Fire Protection Association has posted tips on their website about preventing fires in your home and how to plan for a fire:

Learn facts about fires and how they can start.

• Take a quiz about house fires.
• Watch a video about heating your home.
• Download a Fire Inspection Checklist .

Fires are unpredictable so it is essential that your family is aware of fire prevention methods. If there is a fire, concentrate on getting you and your family out of the building safely. Do not worry about grabbing important papers; there are companies that can help recover documents that have been damaged in a fire.

More on document preservation and restoration.

The U.S. Forrest Service conducted case studies on residents who live in the area of the San Bernardino National Forest. This forest is infamous for its wildfires that often cause about 70% of nearby residents to evacuate their homes.

In a focus group conducted in 2007, 94% of residents reported to have taken measures to defend their homes against fires, including changing the landscaping of homes. However, residents mention barriers that hinder precautionary measures include lack of finances, physical limitations, and not wanting to change the landscaping around their homes.

Also discussed were the preferred methods residents wished to receive information about fire prevention and warnings and the preferred agencies that gave such information.

Click here to read the full story from Science Daily.

Click on the following to learn more about prevention and recovery from fires:

• Preparing for fire damage

• Protecting your home from wildfires

• A service that help you or your business recover from fire and water damage