In and around Los Angeles, and across Southern California, we have our share of disasters to react to – wildfires, landslides, earthquakes, floods. We can’t control these events, but we can certainly control how we handle and react to them. All it takes is some preparation.
How to Be Prepared for Disasters in Southern California
One: Understand the disasters you’re preparing for
Being prepared for a natural disaster means focusing your time and efforts on the right things.
In Southern California, that means preparing for wildfires, earthquakes, floods, landslides and mudslides. Even within these categories, there are threats that are more likely to happen where you live – living in the hills may make you less prone to flooding but more prone to the impacts of landslides.
One threat that the entire region needs to prepare for is wildfires. According to the Cal.gov website, 2020 saw 8,112 wildfires and more than 1.4 million acres burned. Two of the deadliest California wildfires happened in 2020, and 7 of the top 20 deadliest wildfires occurred in the last five years.
Two: Create a disaster plan
Once you know what to prepare for, you can start to create a plan of action should the unthinkable happen.
Start with a Disaster Plan checklist, like the one available from the California State Assembly. This will help guide your efforts and ensure you don’t forget anything.
Next, prepare a disaster kit. The Red Cross is an excellent resource for how to assemble a survival kit as well as what should be included in it.
Three: Prepare
Once your plan and kit are in place, it’s time to pay attention and be ready to act if and when the time comes. Having spent time preparing will make it easier to react with a calm and cool head. You won’t forget important details, and you can keep your family and employees safe during a disaster.
As part of your preparation, be sure to create a folder of important information, such as phone numbers and insurance policies. Consider making copies of all of the information and storing them in multiple locations, like a safe, inside your survival kit, and even offsite in a safety deposit box or with a friend or family member.
Four: Understand Recovery
Lastly, it’s as important to understand the steps to take after a disaster as it is to know what you’ll do during one.
Create a post-disaster plan of action, including a list of people to call and how to file an insurance claim with your carrier.
It’s best to do this in a realistic way. The truth is, many times insurance companies deny claims that are the result of a natural disaster. Before disaster strikes, take the time to look into what your policies cover and get any additional coverage that you might need.
Should your insurance provider deny a claim, you should have the name and number of a lawyer handy that can help you recover your losses from a disaster. When you are in the middle of coping with lost property, damage, or even injuries are not the time to be searching for the name of an experienced law firm that can help you get through this tough time.
DON’T GET CAUGHT OFF GUARD BE PREPARED
Spend time creating a disaster and recovery plan, going over it with your family or with your employees and partners, and gathering all the critical information you may need if you should be the victim of a wildfire, flood, landslide, or any of the other disasters we face here in SoCal.
Living in Los Angeles, natural disasters can happen any time, anywhere. When they do, there is no denying the chaos to your daily life. Unfortunately, many insurance companies will try and deny a claim of property damage. If you’ve experienced loss because of a disaster and your insurance company has denied your claim, there is hope and help available.
Contact the Law Offices of Wiseman Pirian and get a free consultation on how you can address a denied claim from your insurance, and how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Visit us at www.MyPlLawyer.com or call us directly 310.409.2020. The help and support that you need to get through the challenges of damage to your property – home or business – is just a free phone call away.
