Guest Author - Bonnie Sayers
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on January 16th. This is a holiday with banks, schools and librarys closed. This also happens to be the anniversary of the Northridge, California earthquake that took place in 1994.
I was living in an apartment in Hollywood on the third floor with great views and a balcony. The bedroom closet had built-in cabinets that toppled over and out into my room at the same spot where my television fell off the table. Had I been under the doorway like the officials used to tell people to do during earthquakes, I would have been clobbered.
Ever since my first earthquake experience while visiting San Diego in 1982, I have had some form of Earthquake kit that I packed with items to use in emergency situations. That moment in San Diego I was staying at the Armed Forces YMCA and found my bed moving across the room.
I was not yet married to my now ex-husband, who was sleeping on the couch in the living room since I had asked him to move out the night before. My neighbor knocked on my door to see if I had a phone line, which I did and had called my grandparents in New Jersey to notify them of the earthquake. The neighbor used my phone and traded cigarettes with me since I was a smoker at the time.
Not too long after the earthquake shook and woke everyone up the garbage trucks came down the street. I will never forget that even an earthquake did not interrupt their service and the sound had startled me from the stillness of the morning.
I had to stand outside the 7-11 and wait in line for cigarettes as the stores had no electricity and only allowed two people in at a time. The power was not out for very long, maybe half a day, which was doable back then. Now years later having children an emergency kit needs to be more extensive.
The Insurance Commissioner for the State of California has introduced this Home Inventory Guide available in pdf format at www.insurance.ca.gov or call 1-800-927-4357.
The guide states, " As part of our effort to build the best consumer protection agency in the nation, we have created this guide to give consumers the information and tools to deal effectively with agents, brokers and insurance companies"
The press conference held today showed the Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi with a family who were documenting their belongings utilizing the Home Inventory Guide and videotaping items in their home. It is advised to file the tape, forms and other pertinent paperwork for emergency purposes away from your home. Consider sending these documents to out of state relatives or obtain a safe deposit box at your financial institution.
The family profiled had their house threatened last year due to a mudslide. This is also the anniversary of the La Conchita mudslides in Southern California. A New Year resolution should be to document your belongings, make note of your insurance coverages and upgrade if necessary.
As I type this article Nicholas is viewing a National Geographic show on the 1989 Northern California earthquake that took place while the World Series was being broadcast live in Oakland. My son was surprised to learn that I was viewing the show as the Earthquake occurred and wanted to know if I was scared living alone and watching this happen.
The Home Inventory Guide has an introductory section that covers the need for documentation, storage of the guide and updating the guide. The rooms include living room, kitchen, dining room, master bedroom, master bathroom, two more bathrooms and four more bedrooms - these are for inventory of the items in these rooms.
There is a section for study, den, library, office, garage, workshop, computer equipment, playroom hobby, sports equipment, jewelry, collectibles, additional photos, summary of items, structure or dwelling coverage, insurance policy information - which includes adding a copy of the declarations page.
It is also recommended to update your Home Inventory Guide three to four times per year. The pages have spaces to secure photos of these rooms and charts to identify the model number, make, date of purchase, purchase price and replacement cost. There are boxes for the total for each room and the large items found in these rooms are listed with blank spaces to fill in other items from your home.
Utilize this free resource for your family to be insurance ready and disaster prepared for any flood, fire, mudslide, earthquake or other natural disaster that may occur throughout the year.
Safety In The Home
New Year Checklist
