Community Associations Network Industry News

Fairfax, Va., Feb. 16, 2007... The International Association of Fire Chiefs is pleading with the media to help us inform the public of the high number of house fires with fatalities that have occurred since the beginning of February. “We have lost too many people in home fires in the last two weeks,” said President Chief Jim Harmes. “Last night, six were killed in a house fire in Louisiana, two in house fires in Tennessee and one in my own community in Grand Blanc, Michigan. It is mid-February and by media reports, 59 people in the U.S. have perished in house fires in 17 states since the beginning of this month. We have got to do something,” said Harmes.

“These are not just statistics; these are lives—lives of the people we serve in our communities. These are the same lives that you, the media, serve. Help us to get the word out to our readers and listeners. Our citizens now have more protection available for their homes than ever before and yet people are losing their lives because they are not taking this protection seriously.”

A quick check of media reports for the first 16 days of February reveals 59 house-fire fatalities. Thirty fatalities were single or double fatalities, and 29 deaths resulted from just six house fires and were counted as multiple fatalities (three or more individuals). A list of these deaths by date and location is found at the end of this release.

“These are not just numbers; these are personal tragedies that each of us as a fire chief feels every time a life is lost. Help us prevent these needless tragedies. Help us get the word out to those communities that we—the media and the fire departments—both serve,” said Harmes.

Please, help us pass along these life-saving suggestions:

Check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to be sure they are working properly.
Have an escape plan with a meeting place.
Once you exit your home, DO NOT return. Too many people lose their lives going back into a burning home.
Stoves are not made for heating homes.
Supplemental heating devices should be used and maintained in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. Keep combustibles clear. Do not leave supplemental heating devices unattended.
If you are burning wood in your fireplace, make sure your chimneys are properly maintained. That goes for your furnace, as well.
If candles are necessary, use them in a safe environment in a fireproof container and away from children. Do not leave them unattended.
And for the long term, consider getting a residential fire sprinkler. According to statistics, the risk of death by fire is reduced by 82 percent when smoke detectors are accompanied with residential fire sprinklers.
List of fire fatalities, based on media reports, for the first part of February:

Feb. 3 New York (Long Island) family of three
Feb. 3 West Virginia (Bens Run) one fatality
Feb. 3 Wisconsin (Marinette County) two fatalities
Feb. 4 New York (Mount Vernon) one fatality
Feb. 4 Texas (San Antonio) one fatality
Feb. 5 Ohio (St. Marys) one fatality
Feb. 6 Rhode Island (Providence) one fatality
Feb. 6 Tennessee (Maryville) family of four
Feb. 7 Kentucky (Bardstown) family of 10
Feb. 7 Washington (Selah) one fatality
Feb. 8 Kansas (Topeka) one fatality
Feb. 8 New York (Brooklyn) two fatalities
Feb. 8 New York (Newburgh) one fatality
Feb. 8 Wisconsin (Milwaukee) two fatalities
Feb. 9 Delaware (Wilmington) one fatality
Feb. 10 Minnesota (St. Paul) one fatality
Feb. 10 Pennsylvania (South Philadelphia) one fatality
Feb. 11 Connecticut (Waterbury) one fatality
Feb. 11 Ohio (Mount Vernon) two fatalities
Feb. 11 Pennsylvania (West Philadelphia) family of five
Feb. 11 Texas (Fresno) four fatalities
Feb. 12 Michigan (Saginaw) one fatality
Feb. 13 Indiana (Indianapolis) one fatality
Feb. 14 Nevada (Las Vegas) two fatalities
Feb. 14 Washington (Snohomish) one fatality
Feb. 15 Delaware (Ogletown) one fatality
Feb. 15 Michigan (Grand Blanc) one fatality
Feb. 15 Pennsylvania (Mount Joy) one fatality
Feb. 15 Pennsylvania (West Philadelphia) family of three
Feb. 16 Tennessee (Palmyra) one fatality
Feb. 16 Tennessee (Smyrna) one fatality

Posted by Joe at 1:58 PM | Permalink

For some people getting ready for the hurricane season means buying bottled water and checking the flashlight batteries, but the National Weather Service wants residents to be better prepared.
The NWS has created StormReady, a program that helps communities prepare through better planning, education and awareness.

Thanks to the efforts of Sandestin’s Director of Security Tom Cooper, the Sandestin Community has been recognized as a StormReady Supporter by the NWS.

The StormReady program establishes a warning system, requires communities to have more than one way to receive warnings and alert the public, creates a weather monitoring system and promotes public readiness.
“That’s two thirds of the battle,” Bob Gorre of the National Weather Service in Tallahassee said.

When people receive a storm warning and know what to do, lives are saved, Gorre said. “Tom was eager to take part and move forward with the readiness program,” Gorre said. Within the StormReady program, there are three designations – communities, commercial sites and supporters. Businesses, schools, hospitals, shopping centers and malls often establish severe weather safety plans and actively take part and promote severe weather safety awareness activities, which is required for the StormReady Supporter designation.

“The county is a StormReady county,” Cooper said, “and we support the county in their readiness programs.”
The program involved administrative and organizational work for Sandestin personnel, but Cooper, who learned of the program at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference, said he also worked with the county and the state to earn the distinction.

“It’s an honor for the Sandestin Community to receive this designation. It shows the commitment of Sandestin Owners Association to keep everyone informed the best way we can to assist the county and the state in weather awareness,” Cooper said.

Sandestin’s security office monitors weather warnings from an approved Web site, weather radios and emergencymail.org to be aware of emergency weather issues. Security has a list of all PCs in the resort and sends out warnings as necessary. Cooper plans to include a homeowner database in the distribution to alert residents in the community of emergency weather conditions.

“Many people look out the window and see a thunderstorm, but aren’t necessarily aware that it is a severe thunderstorm. With our system to alert them, they can be informed,” Cooper said.

Posted by Joe at 10:48 AM | Permalink

Becker & Poliakoff, a diversified commercial law firm with more than one hundred attorneys in fifteen offices throughout Florida, today announced the posting of its online "2006 Community Association Hurricane Preparedness Checklist" to help condo, homeowner and other community associations statewide prepare to protect their properties and residents during the upcoming 2006 hurricane season.

Becker & Poliakoff's 2006 Community Association Hurricane Preparedness Checklist, available online at http://www.hurricane-recovery.com or via fax upon request to Becker & Poliakoff offices statewide, includes 12 critical points that professionals and board members who manage or direct the affairs of common-ownership housing communities should keep in mind to adequately prepare themselves and their communities in the event of hurricane- and storm- related disasters.

"During the 2004 and 2005 storm seasons, many community associations in South Florida and throughout the state learned somber and often costly lessons about the issue of careful preparation in protecting themselves in the recovery process," said Becker & Poliakoff shareholder Kenneth S. Direktor, a Palm Beaches-based attorney who leads the firm's Community Association practice statewide. "This checklist identifies and addresses many of the most commonly asked questions and will help board members take a more organized approach to issues that require swift action."

Leading hurricane forecasters predict an active 2006 tropical storm season, which officially kicks off June 1st, calling for a total of 17 named tropical storms, including nine hurricanes -- five of which will be classified as "major," with winds in excess of 110 miles per hour. The 2006 storm activity is expected to be above average, though less active than the 2005 season, which was the most active in recorded history, with a total 28 named storms, including 15 hurricanes -- seven classified as "major" and a record five of those making landfall on the U.S. mainland.

Becker & Poliakoff's 12-point Hurricane Preparedness Checklist includes the following tips for those who need to prepare their communities for the 2006 hurricane season:

1. Disaster Plan - Do a risk analysis of potential consequences of a storm
and develop a complete disaster plan, designating a responsible community
member as Disaster Plan Coordinator and another as Information Facilitator
to field queries from and respond to community members;

2. Evacuation Routes - Establish clear building or community evacuation
routes and be sure that all community members are provided with copies or
printouts and that routes are clearly marked as storms approach; conduct

building or community evacuation drills in the weeks leading up to
hurricane season;

3. Emergency Generators & Supplies - Be sure emergency generators are in
working order and have adequate fuel supplies, stock a building or
community emergency supplies storeroom with flashlights, batteries, water
and other necessities for residents and employees in the aftermath of a
tropical storm;

4. Backup Computer Files - Be sure that computer files crucial to running
the building and association are backed up to CDs or Portable Storage
Devices and keep a list of office computer hardware and software vendors
and repairmen in case computers crash or systems fail;

5. Secure the Premises - Make preparations for routine lockdown of the
building or other facilities as a storm approaches, so the building is
secure during the storm and safe from vandalism or looting if a hurricane
strikes;

6. List of Owners & Employees - Have on hand a current, hard-copy
reference list complete with the names all property owners, emergency
contact numbers and details of second residence addresses, as well as a
list of all association employees, with full contact details;

7. Photograph or Video Premises - Keep a visual record through video or
photographs of premises, facilities and buildings to facilitate damage
assessment and speed damage claims in a storm aftermath;

8. Building and Facilities Plans - Make sure a complete set of building or
community plans are readily available for consultation by first-
responders, utilities workers and insurance adjusters following a storm;

9. Insurance Policies & Agent Details - Be sure all insurance policies are
current and coverage is adequate for community property, facilities and
common areas and compliant with State Law; full contact details for
insurance companies and agents should be readily available in the event of
a storm;

10. Bank Account Details & Signatories - Keep handy a list of all bank
account numbers, branch locations and authorized association signatories,
and make contingency plans for back-up signatories in case evacuation or
relocation becomes necessary;

11. Mitigation of Damages: In the immediate aftermath of a storm, take the
necessary steps to mitigate damages -- this includes "Drying-In," which is
the placement of tarps on openings in the roof and plywood over blown out
doors and windows, and "Drying-Out," which is the removal of wet carpet
and drywall to prevent the growth of mold; And,

12. Debris Removal - Have a plan for speedy removal of debris by
maintenance staff, outside contractors or civic public works employees,
should a hurricane topple trees and leave debris in its wake.

The 2006 Community Association Hurricane Preparedness Checklist is the latest in a series of disaster-related services provided to clients and the Florida general public by the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff. Since Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida in 1992, the law firm has prided itself in offering Florida businesses and residents "a place to turn to" in all phases of recovery efforts, assisting in efforts to secure appropriate, fair and timely compensation and/or reconstruction of damaged property.

In 2005, Becker & Poliakoff was the recipient of a Thomson Elite award in recognition of a client-service initiative launched during the devastating hurricanes that hit Florida during a six-week period in 2004. The initiative included an informative special section within the Becker & Poliakoff website under the dedicated Internet domain http://www.hurricane-recovery.com that was designed to help with post disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts.

More information about Becker & Poliakoff's 2006 Community Association Hurricane Preparedness Checklist can be found online at http://www.hurricane-recovery.com . Additional information about the law firm's disaster recovery efforts, including available seminars, a checklist for communities affected by hurricanes, and pertinent articles by Becker & Poliakoff attorneys can be found at: http://www.becker-poliakoff.com/areas_of_practice/disaster_recovery.html .

About Becker & Poliakoff P.A.

Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. is a diversified commercial law firm based in Ft. Lauderdale with more than one hundred attorneys in fifteen Florida offices and international and affiliated offices in New York, Czech Republic, Germany, China, France and Israel. In addition to Disaster Recovery, the firm counsels clients in legal issues relating to Real Estate, Condominium and Homeowners Association Law, Construction, International Business & Trade, Government Relations, and Civil and Commercial Litigation and many other areas of law. For more information, visit: http://www.becker-poliakoff.com .

Posted by Joe at 1:07 PM | Permalink