Don't Get Hijacked After a Disaster! #OKready #NPM #OKstrong

BEWARE OF MOVING COMPANY SCAMS       

        

Imagine returning from vacation and discovering that your home was ransacked while you were away. Every piece of furniture, all your clothes, the kids toys, and even the family photos are all gone. If you are like most people, you would call the police and report a theft, then you would call your insurance company and file a claim. Now, imagine your home getting damaged by a disaster like a flood or a fire. First, you file a claim with your insurance company and then hire a mover to transport and store everything in your home until the repairs are completed. A few months later, the work is finished and you are ready to move back in, but wait, there's a problem. The moving company you hired refuses to bring your belongings back. Why? They have decided to increase their bill and are holding your property hostage until you pay it! To make things worse, they threaten that your stuff will be sold or auctioned off if you don't. Steve and Susie Peeler experienced this first hand and share their heartwrenching story on the CBS Early Show at http://www.cbsnews.com/news/beware-of-moving-scams/

Believe it or not, moving scams like this are common and usually considered civil matters rather than criminal, so the police may not be able to help you. However, there are a number of ways you can avoid scams like this from happening to you and here are some tips to protect yourself:

1]    Avoid telephone or internet quotes. Oftentimes low ball quotes given over the phone or online are provided by moving brokers and not the actual movers themselves. Have any prospective movers give you their estimates in person so they can accurately estimate the weight, labor, and materials needed to do the job.
2]    Ask if there will be any additional costs that are not included in the estimate and if there will be, get those costs in writing as well. Movers may charge extra for packing materials, difficult building access, moving expensive antiques or unusually heavy items, etc.
3]    Get references from family members or friends. Talk to people who have used a mover and were satisfied with their service.
4]    Do your homework and be sure the company is legitimate. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there is a complaint history and contact the Department of Transportation - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to see if they're licensed and reputable.
5]    Get everything in writing and never sign a blank contract. Read every word and make sure that all your belongings are listed in detail.
6]    Take photos and/or video of your belongings before they are packed. This will give you evidence of what you own and its condition prior to the move.
7]    Keep important paperwork like financial documents and sensitive personal information with you and don't allow high value items such as jewelry, fine artwork, firearms, coin collections, precious metals, etc. to be moved. Items of this nature can be stolen by people working for the movers.
8]    Don't pay up front. When you do pay, use a credit card that will help you fight any fraudulent charges.

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. If you would like to know how to prepare for recovery and learn how to avoid the many pitfalls that present themselves in the aftermath of disaster events, get The Red Guide to Recovery - Resource Handbook for Disaster Survivors. To get your copy, click on the link below. 

http://www.theredguidetorecovery.com/the-red-guide-to-recovery/

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Go here to get more info:

http://www.theredguidetorecovery.com/the-red-guide-to-recovery/

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Are you ready for #Wildfire #NatlPrep #OKfire

National Preparedness Month: Week 2 Focuses on Wildfire

Get ready for Week 2 (September 6 – 12) of National Preparedness Month (NPM), which highlights hazard-focused themes to encourage you to prepare. Wildfire is the hazard-focused theme for Week 2 of NPM. These fires can occur anywhere and destroy homes, businesses, natural resources, and agriculture. In fact, several states in the Northwest have recently experienced devastating wildfires, sparking evacuation orders for thousands of people.

If a wildfire threatens your community, the best action to protect yourself and your property is to evacuate. Evacuation orders vary by state and may range from voluntary to mandatory. When authorities issue a mandatory evacuation notice, leave the area immediately to avoid being trapped.

There are also some things you can do to make your home or business more resistant to catching fire and burning. The How to Prepare for a Wildfire guide from America’s PrepareAthon! outlines the following steps, including:

• Create a defensible space (free of leaves, debris, and other flammable material) of up to 200 feet from your home or business;
• Use fire-resistant materials for landscaping and construction; and
• Maintain sources of water such as swimming pools, wells, ponds, and hydrants to ensure they are accessible to the fire department.

Download the 2015 National Preparedness Month Social Media Toolkit from the Ready Campaign and America’s PrepareAthon! to share preparedness and safety messages with family and friends.

Locating Loved Ones #OKready

Have you ever thought about how you will communicate with and locate your loved ones in the event of a disaster?  You never know where you will be or with whom you will be when a disaster strikes. This week, the focus for National Preparedness Month is, “How to Reconnect with Family After a Disaster.” Use this time to build a family communications plan. Your priority will be to get to a safe place, contact your loved ones and reunite with them as soon as possible. The best course of action is to have a plan for each of the common locations where you spend most of your time – home, work, gym, or place of worship. 

Below are some tips on how to get in contact with your loved ones in an emergency.

• Complete a contact card for each member of your family and have them placed in purses, wallets and book bags;
• Have a contact that does not live in your area that each family member can notify when they are safe if unable to contact family in the affected area. An out-of-area contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members;
• Remember you can use text messaging when calling does not work because phone lines commonly have network disruptions after disasters; and
• In addition to text messaging, use social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, to alert family members that you are safe. You can also use the American Red Cross’s Safe and Well program.

Check out America’s PrepareAthon! to participate in other drills and exercises with your family, and practice the communications plan you just developed

Thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this information.

Additionally, please consider amateur radio for your family.  The American Radio Relay League can help.