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Community Assisting Recovery, Inc.

“Survivors Helping Survivors” • 888-216-8264 • carehelp.org

Upcoming Meeting Schedule:

Insurance/Recovery Tip:

One year deadline to finish a claim, or two?

Many fire survivors are coming up on the first year anniversary of their disaster. Many see that their policy has a deadline that states they must repair or replace within one year, but is that true for everyone? If you live in California and your property was damaged due to a State OR Federal disaster you should look into the state regulation 2051.5.

The description of this law given on the California Department of Insurance website reads as follows:

"Allows at least 12 months to rebuild and still receive replacement costs with possibility of a 6 month extension.  If a declared disaster (Governor's State of Emergency), homeowner/insured has at least 24 months to repair, rebuild or replace the home."

You can read the summary here:
http://www.insurance.ca.gov/consumer-alerts/2007newlawsnoticecawildfire.cfm

Or read the exact code here:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=ins&group=02001-03000&file=2050-2060

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CARe Update:

ALERT! Website Upgrade
This week we will be moving over to a completely redesigned website. It should be complete by mid-week. There might be a glitch in our email sometime between now and the time it is complete so if you send an email to us and it bounces, please don’t panic! Feel free to call us at 888-216-8264.

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Sempra Update:

SDG&E halts plan to cut power during dry weather
October 30, 2008

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego utility blamed for starting some of last year's wildfires has suspended its wildfire prevention plan of shutting off power in the backcountry during extreme weather.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2008/oct/30/ca-wildfires-power-lines-10-30-08/

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Disaster Recovery News:                   

Cedar Glen ruins to be cleared by winter
10/06/2009

The ruins of hundreds of homes destroyed in the San Bernardino Mountains during the catastrophic Old Fire in 2003 will be leveled and cleared away by the first snow of winter, Supervisor Neil Derry said Tuesday.

http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_13498714

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Wildfires can take a psychological toll
Sep 14, 2009

For those who have lost homes to wildfire, experienced terror in the face of approaching flames or suffered injury, the psychological effects can be deep and long lasting.

http://www.angelesrising.org/?p=250

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The 2003 Old Fire: pain, loss and, finally, some closure six years later
Oct 25, 2009

It began about 9:15 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2003: a lighted flare tossed into tinder-dry brush in Waterman Canyon that set off the most devastating wildfire in San Bernardino County's history, the Old Fire.

http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_13634071

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Rebuilding: Out of the Ashes
October 25, 2009

FIRE IN THE AMERICAN WEST is a season, like winter. Yet even though the number of large wildfires across the Western states has increased fourfold in the last few decades, we continue to build our homes in sagebrush; in steep, wooded canyons; in lightning country surrounded by dry chaparral — in other words, we build in landscapes prone to burn. And when a fire comes through and destroys everything, we rebuild bigger.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/magazine/20091025-california-slider.html?hp

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Insurance Industry News:                  

Allstate to agents: Bulk up
Sep 28, 2009

Allstate Corp. is setting ambitious new revenue standards for its massive salesforce, sparking agent fears that a large-scale culling of their ranks is beginning.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?article_id=32428&seenIt=1

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Disaster Prepared:

Q&A about Debris Flow following a fire

What are the flooding and debris flow impacts that could potentially occur after a fire? For how long after the fire am I facing the potential impacts?

Flooding and debris flows can occur during storm events. These flows can occur in and below the areas the fire has denuded of vegetation and altered the characteristics of the topsoil. The extent and amount of flows will depend in the rainfall intensity and duration of the storm event, and on the extent of recovery of vegetation in the burn areas at the time. These flows can be highly destructive and move large quantities of soil, rocks, brush and trees into neighborhoods, causing property damage, blocking streets and endangering property occupants. It can take about four to five years for the burn area vegetation to significantly recover, about ten years to fully recover.

http://dpw.lacounty.gov/wrd/fire/display.cfm?product=file/faq.htm

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Disaster News:

Where Land Slides, Trying to Learn Why 
Oct 19, 2009

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Water bottle in hand, Dennis Staley crouched over a patch of ground, cleared away surface soil with a finger and poured a couple of drops on the exposed layer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/science/20mud.html?_r=3

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Quote of the Week:                   

"You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it."

     - Bill Cosby

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Help CARe provide assistance to disaster survivors and continue our free services:

http://www.carehelp.org/contribute/contribute.htm

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Community Assisting Recovery, Inc.

19360 Rinaldi Street, PMB 220, Northridge CA 91326
www.carehelp.org
888-216-8264