Who is Roof Saver Sprinklers?

Roof Saver Sprinklers® is a Northern California Foothills based company that is committed to providing affordable but highly effective wildfire protection.

We live with the real threat of Wildfire every year. It is not a matter of “IF” we have a wildfire, but “WHEN”!

Roof Saver Sprinklers are proudly Made in the U.S.A.

1% of all profits go to “FILL THE BOOT for Burns” Firefighters Burn Institute.

Want to protect your home from fire, click HERE for Roofsaversprinklers.com

What is the Most vulnerable part of a Home in a wildfire?

What is the most vulnerable part of a home in a wildfire?

A: Over 90% of homes that ignite in a wildfire (except home to home ignition) are due to flying embers and burning particles up to a mile ahead of the main fire. The roof is the most vulnerable part of any home during a wildfire. Wood shake shingles, leaves, pine needles, on roof or in gutters is usually the first thing to ignite.

Q: What does a Roof Saver Sprinkler® do to protect my home in the event of a fire?
A: This product is not intended to put out a fire, but to prevent ignition. Roof Saver Sprinklers® thoroughly wets roofs, gutters, decks, surrounding trees, and shrubs making these fuels less susceptible to ignition. This soaking of the roof and landscape also releases moisture into the air lowering ambient temperatures and increasing humidity levels.

Q: What should I do if there is a wildfire near my home, city or town?
A: First be sure to listen and follow the reccommendations of Fire and Police officials to ensure you and your family's safety. If possible run sprinklers for several hours prior to the arrival of the fire. The wetter the better, but any run time will increase your home’s chance of survival. Turn on your sprinklers and prepare to evacuate!

See more HERE!

What does it mean when Cal Fire opes/closes fire season.

What does it mean when CAL FIRE opens/closes fire season - changes preparedness levels?

The declaration of fire season in California is actually a change in preparedness levels for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. CAL FIRE is year-round fire and emergency response Department. When weather patterns in an area of the state become warm and dry, and vegetation (fuels) are at a low moisture content point, Emergency response dispatch levels are typically increased, facilities are staffed 24 hours a day and additional firefighters are hired.

 CAL FIRE airtankers and air attack planes are deployed from their maintenance location in Sacramento to strategic positions around the state. Restrictions and suspensions of burn permits are also likely to take effect during fire season in areas where extreme fire conditions exist.

When cooling weather, rain and snow are sufficient to reduce the fire threat, CAL FIRE then reduces its preparedness levels by releasing additional firefighters, closing some stations, and repositioning aircraft.

Preparedness levels can change depending upon weather patterns any time throughout the year. Typically they begin to increase earliest and remain in effect the longest in the south state as the warm, dry weather patterns can last from May to January in that region.

See how Roofsaversprinklers.com can help you protect your house. Click HERE.

How Many Roof Saver Sprinklers?

: How many Roof Saver Sprinklers do I need for my home?

            A: Based on this guide, you should allocate one (1) sprinkler and one (1) hose for every 900 square feet of defensible space. The sprinkler nozzle will be the center point of the 900 square foot 'circular' spray pattern of water including the roof of the building and landscape.

For example, if your home is 1800 square feet, we reccommend two (2) sprinklers and two (2) hoses. If you have an additional building or garage, that structure may require its own sprinkler as well.

Additional sprinklers and hoses can be added for coverage of decks, woodpiles, sheds, etc.

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your house before a fire starts? Click
Here.
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What is a Rooftop Sprinkler?

What is a Rooftop Sprinkler?

 Rooftop sprinklers thoroughly wets roofs, gutters, decks, surrounding trees, and shrubs making these potential fuels less susceptible to ignition.

This soaking of the roof and landscape also releases moisture into the air lowering ambient temperatures and increasing humidity levels.

This product can safe your house if a fire is coming. They have generator products also to help when water pressure goes down.  Check out the various products that RoofSaversprinkler.com http://roofsaversprinklers.com/ have to offer.

Cal Fire Cooperative Fire Protection Program

 In a State as large and populated as California, no one emergency response agency can do it all. That is why cooperative efforts via contracts and agreements between state, federal and local agencies are essential in response to emergencies like wildland and structure fires, floods, earthquakes, hazardous material spills, and medical aids.

The CAL FIRE Cooperative Fire Protection Program staff are responsible for coordinating those agreements and contracts for the Department. It is because of these cooperative efforts that you may see fire engines and firefighters from different agencies at the scene of an emergency, working under a unified command relationship.

This cooperative effort insures that the response time and number of agencies responding maxes out for the fire effort.  Feel more safe?

Want more information on what you can do to help protect your home, click HERE for Roofsaversprinklers.com.

Wildfire Season is Here!

Wildfires


More and more people are making their homes in woodland settings - in or near forests, rural areas, or remote mountain sites. There, homeowners enjoy the beauty of the environment but face the very real danger of wildfire.

Every year across our Nation, some homes survive - while many others do not - after a major wildfire. Those that survive almost always do so because their owners had prepared for the eventuality of fire, which is an inescapable force of nature in fire-prone wildland areas. Said in another way - if it's predictable, it's preventable!

Wildfires often begin unnoticed. These fires are usually triggered by lightning or accidents. They spread quickly, igniting brush, trees, and homes. Reduce your risk by preparing now - before wildfire strikes. Meet with your family to decide what to do and where to go if wildfires threaten your area. Follow the steps listed below to protect your family, home, and property.

Need a great home protection system that is affordable, check out Roof Saver Sprinklers.com

Top FAQs on Fire Hazard Severity Zones

Questions about fire hazard severity zones

What is a “Fire Hazard Severity Zone,” or FHSZ?
Answer: California law requires CAL FIRE to identify areas based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail there. These areas, or “zones,” are based on factors such as fuel (material that can burn), slope and fire weather. There are three zones, based on increasing fire hazard…medium, high and very high.

 

How is a FHSZ determined?
Answer: Using the latest fire science, CAL FIRE has developed and field tested a model that serves as the basis of zone assignments. The model evaluates property using characteristics that affect the probability of the area burning and potential fire behavior in the area. Many factors are considered such as fire history, existing and potential fuel, flame length, blowing embers, terrain, weather and the likelihood of buildings igniting.

 

What does FHSZ measure?
Answer: Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps evaluate “hazard,” not “risk”. They are like flood zone maps. “Hazard” is based on the physical conditions that create a likelihood that an area will burn over a 30 to 50-year period without considering modifications such as fuel reduction efforts. “Risk” is the potential damage a fire can do to the area under existing conditions, including any modifications such as defensible space, irrigation and sprinklers, and ignition resistant building construction.

How have the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps changed?
Answer: Statewide, the acreage designated as very high Fire Hazard Severity Zones is reduced by 25 percent, the acreage designated as high Fire Hazard Severity Zones is increased by 57 percent, and the acreage designated as moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones is increased by 33 percent. For detailed information on acreage changes by county, visit Publications. These changes are largely due to the ability to be more precise. In the previous map version, typically a minimum 10,000-acre zone size was used resulting in large areas of land being designated based on the highest hazard level found in that entire area. Refined modeling techniques and new, more precise data describing the potential fire environment has enabled the use of 200-acre parcel sizes in many cases which makes mapping more spatially refined. In addition, improved mapping science and a thorough model allowed for more consistency in how zones are rated.

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Burn Permits!

Burn Permit Information

CAL FIRE's Burn Restrictions and Burn Permits During certain times of the year residential landscape debris burning of dead vegetation is allowed. However, homeowners should always check with their local CAL FIRE station and local air quality management agency before burning. In many area burn permits may be required. For more information on debris burning safety download an educational fact sheet. To find out if it is a permissive burn day in your area, contact your local air quality district. Contact information may be found at the State Air Resources Board website. Burn Restrictions When the weather begins to cool down and fire danger decreases, CAL FIRE will lift burn restrictions on residential debris burning. CAL FIRE's burn restrictions only apply to State Responsibility Areas (SRA). Check with your local fire station to see if CAL FIRE's burn restrictions affect you and whether a burn permit is required. When a burn restriction is in place there is absolutely no debris burning allowed. Click HERE to see how you can protect your home with Roofsaversprinklers.com

Cal Fire Fire Protection Services

Responding to all types of emergencies on a daily basis is the job done by 90 percent of the CAL FIRE workforce.

Those emergencies take the form of wildland fires, residential/commercial structure fires, automobile accidents, heart attacks, drownings, lost hikers, hazardous material spills on highways, train wrecks, floods, earthquakes - the list is endless.

CAL FIRE firefighters, fire engines and aircraft respond to an average of more than 5,600 wildland fires, and answer the call more than 350,000 times for other emergencies each year.

CAL FIRE crews and equipment are a familiar sight throughout the State with responsibility for the protection of over 31 million acres of California's privately-owned wildlands.

In addition, they provide emergency services of all kinds within 36 of California's 58 counties through local government contracts.

The information provided on these pages depicts the challenges CAL FIRE’s dedicated, well-trained, emergency response forces face each day, and how they meet those challenges.

Check out Roofsaversprinklers.com for how to protect your home from fire.

Calfirfe Campaigns for Local Firewood Usage

Calfire Campaigns for Local Firewood Usage

In an effort to keep forests healthy, Calfire encourages Californians to buy their firewood locally. Teaming up with the California Task Force, Calfire began their public outreach campaign in September with the goal of informing campers, wood cutters, arborists, and the general public about the risks of using transported firewood.
Firewood transported over long distances may contain insects or pathogens that are unfamiliar to the territory where they are purchased. These life forms are invisible to the naked eye, so it is impossible to distinguish a harmless log from a potentially detrimental one. Introducing an invasive species into an environment can be very damaging, both environmentally and economically, because the environment does not have the natural defenses needed to fight off pest attack.
Calfire's campaign is taking many approaches to deterring this issue, which has increased in recent decades due to heightened globalization. By surveying campers' knowledge of invasive species in areas affected by the invasive beetle species likely introduced to San Diego County by out-of-state firewood, Calfire hopes to gain feedback that will help them target their long-term audience as effectively as possible. The campaign also includes hanging informative firewood posters in campgrounds and parks, mailing pamphlets to industry professionals, and distributing informative frisbees and playing cards to campers. 

Want to learn how to protect your house from fire: Click HEREhttp://roofsaversprinklers.com/?page_id=15 for Roof Saver Sprinklers

Hardening Your Home For Fire Season

Hardening Your Home

Flying embers destroy homes up to a mile from wildland areas. Prepare (harden) your home now before fire starts. Here are some of the things you can do to harden your home: Roof: The roof is the most vulnerable part of your home. Homes with wood or shingle roofs are at high risk of being destroyed during a wildfire. Build your roof or re-roof with materials such as composition, metal or tile. Block any spaces between roof decking and covering to prevent embers from catching. Vents: Vents on homes create openings for flying embers. Cover all vent openings with 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch metal mesh. Do not use fiberglass or plastic mesh because they can melt and burn. Protect vents in eaves or cornices with baffles to block embers. (Mesh is not enough.) Eaves and Soffits: Eaves and soffits should be protected with ignition-resistant* or non-combustible materials. Windows: Heat from a wildfire can cause windows to break even before the home ignites. This allows burning embers to enter and start fires inside. Single-paned and large windows are particularly vulnerable. Install dual-paned windows with one pane of tempered glass to reduce the chance of breakage in a fire. Consider limiting the size and number of windows that face large areas of vegetation. Walls: Wood products, such as boards, panels or shingles, are common siding materials. However, they are combustible and not good choices for fire-prone areas. Build or remodel your walls with ignition resistant* building materials, such as stucco, fiber cement, wall siding, fire retardant, treated wood, or other approved materials. Be sure to extend materials from the foundation to the roof. Decks: Surfaces within 10 feet of the building should be built with ignition-resistant*, non-combustible, or other approved materials. Ensure that all combustible items are removed from underneath your deck. Rain Gutters: Screen or enclose rain gutters to prevent accumulation of plant debris. Patio Cover: Use the same ignition resistance materials for patio coverings as a roof. Chimney: Cover your chimney and stovepipe outlets with a non-combustible screen. Use metal screen material with openings no smaller than 3/8 inch and no larger than 1/2 inch to prevent embers from escaping and igniting a fire. Garage: Have a fire extinguisher and tools such as a shovel, rake, bucket, and hoe available for fire emergencies. Install weather stripping around and under the garage door to prevent embers from blowing in. Store all combustible and flammable liquids away from ignition sources. Fences: Consider using ignition resistant or non-combustible fence materials to protect your home during a wildfire. Driveways and Access Roads: Driveways should be built and maintained in accordance with state and local codes to allow fire and emergency vehicles to reach your home. Consider maintaining access roads with a minimum of 10 feet of clearance on either side, allowing for two way traffic. Ensure that all gates open inward and are wide enough to accommodate emergency equipment. Trim trees and shrubs overhanging the road to allow emergency vehicles to pass. Address: Make sure your address is clearly visible from the road. Water Supply: Consider having multiple garden hoses that are long enough to reach all areas of your home and other structures on your property. If you have a pool or well, consider getting a pump. If you want to learn about a neat water roof system, Click HERE for Roof Savers Sprinklers.

Carbon Monoxide-This Silent Killer

Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Killer

Creeping silently through your home, there's a killer that gives no warning. This killer is carbon monoxide. An invisible and odorless gas, carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when burning any fuel, such as gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, or charcoal. It is a silent killer, which causes illness by decreasing the amount of oxygen present in the body.

Young children are especially vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide, because of their smaller bodies. Children process carbon monoxide differently than adults, may be more severely affected by it, and may show symptoms sooner.

You won't know that you have a carbon monoxide leak, without a working detector. If you burn any fuels for heat or cooking, be sure that you have a working carbon monoxide detector and deter this silent killer.

Follow some simple safety tips to help protect your family.

Top Tips for Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. The most common symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. In severe cases,the person may lose consciousness or die. CO poisoning can often be mistaken for other illnesses, such as the flu. Often, more than one person in the household will suffer symptoms at the same time. To decrease risk of CO poisoning the following tips are recommended: Install a CO alarm outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home. Place CO alarms at least 15 feet away from every fuel-burning appliance to reduce the number of nuisance alarms. Test alarms every month and replace them every five years. Make sure alarms can be heard when you test them and practice an escape plan with your entire family. Have all gas, oil or coal burning appliances inspected by a technician every year to ensure they are working correctly and are properly ventilated. Never use a stove for heating. Do not use a grill, generator or camping stove inside your home, garage or near a window. Never leave a car, SUV, or motorcycle engine running inside a garage, even if the garage door is open. CO can accumulate anywhere in or around your boat, so install a CO alarm on your motorboat. If your CO alarm goes off, follow these steps: Get everyone out of the house as quickly as possible into fresh air. Then call for help from a neighbor’s home or a cell phone outside of your home. If someone is experiencing CO poisoning symptoms, call 911 for medical attention. If no one is experiencing symptoms, call the fire department. They will let you know when it is safe to re-enter your home.

Want to learn more about protection of your home for fires, click HERE to visit Roofsaversprinklers.com

Roofsaversprinkler and Foresthill Fire District

The Foresthill Fire Protection District (FFPD) serves the greater Foresthill area including Todd Valley, Baker Ranch, Michigan Bluff and Sugar Pine.  The district provides local advanced life support to the community following the merge with Foresthill Ambulance Service.  Fire stations located in Foresthill and in Todd Valley respond to structure and wild land fires, vehicle accidents and medical emergencies.      The District is staffed by firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics.  Our offices are located in downtown Foresthill at 24320 Main Street and are (barring emergency) open during normal business hours. The FFPD sponsors many activities, including, the Foresthill Fire Safe Council, which meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month at the district office. Fire permits are also available at the district office. The Foresthill Volunteer Firefighters supplement firefighter support for the Fire Protection District employees when complicated emergency calls require additional personnel. 

The Foresthill Volunteer Firefighter Association (FVFA) is a non-profit association, sponsoring community activities such as the 4th of July celebration, Easter egg hunt, fire boot drives, and performing fund raising events, such as the famous garage sale, Little Reno and others.  Funds obtained through fund raising and donations are used to help purchase fire equipment, fire turnouts, boots and other equipment and supplies the district can not afford.  Funds are also used to give back to the community by sponsoring school activities, community functions and special events.

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Wildland-Urban Building Code Information

Wildland-Urban Interface Building Code Information

On September 20, 2005, the California Building Standards Commission approved the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s emergency regulations amending the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 24, Part 2, known as the 2007 California Building Code (CBC).
“701A.3.2

 New Buildings Located in Any Fire Hazard Severity Zone. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas, any Local Agency Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, or any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone shall comply with one of the following:

1. State Responsibility Areas.
New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas, for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.
2. Local Agency Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
New buildings located in any Local Agency Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after July 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.
3. Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency.
New buildings located in any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.

OBJECTIVE
The broad objective of the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area Building Standards is to establish minimum standards for materials and material assemblies and provide a reasonable level of exterior wildfire exposure protection for buildings in Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas. The use of ignition resistant materials and design to resist the intrusion of flame or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire (wildfire exposure) will prove to be the most prudent effort California has made to try and mitigate the losses resulting from our repeating cycle of interface fire disasters. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) revised the mandatory effective date for those areas where local government has responsibility for wildland fire protection (LRA) to July 1, 2008, to enable local government agencies more time to review and accept the fire hazard severity zone maps that will be presented to them formally after the new year.

FHSZ MAPS
The existing FHSZ maps are being updated pursuant to Public Resources Code Sections 4201 – 4204 and Government Code Sections 51175 – 51189. CAL FIRE completed the public hearings for the adoption of Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) for those areas of California where the state has fiscal responsibility for wildland fire protection, known as State Responsibility Areas (SRA). CAL FIRE’s intent is to complete the SRA FHSZ adoption by December, 2007.

LOCAL VHFHSZ MAPS
CAL FIRE is preparing recommendations for Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) in those areas where local government agencies have Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) and will transmit those recommendations to local agencies in early 2008. During the fire hazard severity zone hearing for SRA, several local government officials asked for clarification of authorities and responsibilities associated with the adoption of these LRA VHFHSZ recommendations. Basic authorities and responsibilities for the LRA VHFHSZ are found in Government Code Sections 51175 – 51189. The purpose of this Government Code chapter is to classify lands in accordance with whether a very high fire hazard severity is present so that public officials are able to identify measures that will mitigate the rate of spread, and reduce the potential intensity of uncontrolled fires that threaten to destroy resources, life, or property, and to require that those measures be taken.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Government Code chapter defines responsibilities for CAL FIRE and for the local agency. In summary, Section 51178 and 51181 defines the CAL FIRE Director’s responsibility to identify very high fire hazard severity zones, transmit this information to local agencies, and to periodically review the recommendations. In part, Section 51178.5 and 51179 defines the local agency’s responsibility to make the recommendation available for public review and to designate, by ordinance, very high fire hazard severity zones in its jurisdiction. CAL FIRE is taking additional steps to ensure that the recommended very high fire hazard severity zones are as accurate as possible. Draft copies of the proposed VHFHSZ have been under field review and validation since January, 2007. An updated draft LRA recommendation was available this fall, 2007. This update will also reflect the comments received during the SRA FHSZ public hearings that may impact LRA zones.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTACTS
Unit level CAL FIRE staff has been instructed to assist local agencies in the review of the draft map recommendations. In addition to the very high fire hazard severity maps, CAL FIRE has mapped high and moderate fire hazard severity areas. This additional information will be made available to local agencies as part of the draft data and then upon request subsequent to the Director’s recommendation. The California Constitution grants basic authority for local agencies to adopt ordinances. This constitutional authority can be used to adopt high and/or moderate fire hazard severity areas or other wildland urban interface areas within the local jurisdiction. CAL FIRE Local Units also can address issues regarding the Chapter 7A standards. Health and Safety Code 13108.5 (c) and GC 51179 (b) provide insight on flexibility local agencies may have to modify fire protection building standards and defensible space requirements once VHFHSZs are adopted, based on local findings. While these sections of law do not provide exemptions for adopting the maps, they may provide authority to exclude fire protection require.

Click HERE to learn more about what you can do to save your house and property from a fire. Roofsaversprinklers.com

Home Evacuation Plan

Evacuation Plan

Having an evacuation plan is very important for your family. In an emergency, every second counts, so you want to be as prepared as possible. Evacuation plans can be useful for many different types of disasters: hurricanes, tsunamis, and statistically more common, house fires. House fires are one of the most common disasters people face in this country so it is important that everyone has an evacuation or fire escape plan, and practice it regularly. Watching the Family Emergency Preparedness Plan DVD can be very helpful in designing your plan.

Everyone in your family should know the plan, even the little ones, so set aside an evening when the whole family can get together to make your emergency escape plan. Follow these simple steps and you will be ready for evacuation.Evacuation plans can be life-saving for you and the ones you love. Disasters don't just happen to other people. They are very real and can happen to anyone at anytime. Take the time to plan and prepare and you will be very grateful you did. 

Make a map of your home and include the following:· Label every exit, including doors, windows, and hallways, which may become a potential fire escape. · In every room, label the primary exit (usually a door or hallway) and a secondary exit (usually a window) in case the primary exit is blocked by smoke or flames. · Label every room where a family member sleeps. · Label the main shutoff valves of the gas, electricity, and water lines. · Establish a safe meeting place outside the home so everyone can be accounted for.  

 Practice your emergency evacuation plan. No evacuation plan will work unless it is practiced on a regular basis.· Involve everyone. It is important for everyone in the family to learn how to escape. You may even want to teach your children how to escape out of windows in case the door is unavailable to exit.

A good fire escape ladder is essential if your exit is through a second story window. You may want to arrange the furniture so a dresser or nightstand is under the window to make it easier to escape, especially through basement windows. ·

Place your 72 hour kits strategically near an exit so they are easy to grab in a hurry. When you practice, assign certain family members to be in charge of grabbing the emergency kit. · Practice turning off utilities (gas valves, etc.). Caution: Don't really turn off the gas. If you do the gas company will have to come out and turn it on again. A gas wrench is a useful tool for this. ·

 Practice other life-saving habits such as always leaving a pair of shoes, gloves and a flashlight or lightstick at each person's bedside. · Practice with time in mind. Try running through your disaster plan at least 4 times each year and adjust your plan according to the ages of family members.  Other Things to Keep in Mind:·

Designate an out-of-town and an out-of-state contact person for your family to call in case you separate. Have emergency and contact numbers posted by a phone and have everyone memorize the phone numbers. · Practice using your 72 hour kit supplies. Make sure you include a good first-aid kit, including Burnfree pain relieving gel. 

Need fire protection for your home, check out Roofsaverssprinklers.    http://www.thisismytownusa.com/roof-saver-sprinklers.php

Emergency Prepredness? How prepared are you?

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
How prepared are you?
Since 9/11, most of us have been focused on the emergency preparedness with potential terrorist threats or natural disasters. Very few of us have stopped to consider our own personal emergency preparedness plans to deal with emergencies.
Everyone needs to assess their ability to survive a terrorist threat, natural disaster, or something as simple as a stolen wallet. But attempting to sort through all the articles, websites and information advising what to do to prepare for emergencies is overwhelming.
Over the last years tornadoes, hurricanes, fire or other emergencies, you need to make a workable framework to use for our own personal emergency preparedness.
We want to share what we have done personally to prepare for emergencies in hopes that it helps you to better prepare for emergencies, big and small.
Important Documents:
Several of our friends have suffered through fires at their homes. In their haste to leave their homes, they found that their important documents were scattered all over the home and could just not be retrieved. One simple solution is to put all important documents, or copies of them, in a binder that can be easily taken out of the home in case of a quick evacuation. Our binders are bright red, clearly marked with “Emergency Binder,” and are placed in an easily accessible location, such as a bookcase or closet near the door. In the event of an impending hurricane, these binders can easily be placed in a large zip-lock bag to assure water-tightness if an evacuation is mandated or the roof leaks.

A selection of baby and marriage pictures or anything else that is precious should also be assembled and located with the emergency binders. Ask yourself: “If I can take only the number of pictures that I can carry, what would they be?” One solution is to scan your precious pictures into your computer and save them on a portable device such as a disk or jump drive.
Scanning your important documents might also be a solution, but be aware that certain documents needing an original signature or a notarized signature may not be acceptable if scanned and printed by computer.

Cash:
When the Year 2000 was approaching, we were told to stockpile a little cash in case the ATM machines did not work over the Millennium. That is still good advice today in the case of an emergency. Hurricanes, tornadoes and snowstorms frequently result in power outages. Cash may be your only option to purchase necessities. Whether it is $200 or $500 or more, having a little cash will prove useful in an emergency when the ATM machines are not working or where no one can take your credit or debit cards
.
Home Equipment:
A little soul-searching is in order to determine what items you would take with you if you had to leave in less than one hour. Would it be your computer, or iPod? How long would it take you to unhook all the wires? Thinking through how you would get everything in the car for all family members is another good exercise to go through.

Food Basics:
Purchase a three day supply of food for your family and put it in large plastic containers. Be sure the containers are sealed to keep out insects and rodents.  You can prepare and consume the food, replacing it during our normal shopping trips.
If you choose to keep your “emergency supply” separate from your pantry items, be sure to note when the food is approaching the expiration dates. At that time, eat or donate the food to Area Food Banks and then immediately replace the food in the emergency supply.

First Aid Kits: Most of us have some sort of First Aid kit in the house. Pulling together what is really needed was an eye-opener. Most of the items can be purchased and kept for many years. It can also be used not only for emergencies like the ones discussed here, but for everyday cuts and scrapes.

Be sure to take the peculiarities of your family members into account when putting this kit together. One member may be allergic to iodine or another may have an issue with the pain medication. Think this through so that in the event an emergency, a sick or injured family member can be made as comfortable as possible until help arrives.

Communication Plans:
It is important to decide how family members are going to communicate with each other during an emergency, especially if they are separated geographically. Choose a remote location and a remote family member or friend who will act as the central communications point. Knowing where to go, if home is not an option, will relieve the problems

Care Decisions:
Perhaps one of the most overwhelming responsibilities that falls upon the spouse or children is that of care decisions. Many family disagreements, indecisions, and lawsuits are the result of poor planning regarding the care of a loved one in a medical emergency.
Your family needs to be aware of your wishes. A Living Will can take care of the big decisions, but there are many smaller issues that need to be addressed. Do you want to be placed in a nursing home if rehabilitation care is necessary? Do you want home care if you qualify? What if you don’t qualify for insurance benefits? Would your family know how to begin the process of getting state assistance, Medicare benefits, or enrollment in a research protocol? Who do you want to be the primary decision-maker of your daily care in the hospital, doctor’s office or care facility? Is one of your children more versed in healthcare than the others, and if so, how do you prepare your family members to listen and then participate in the decisions?

Preparing an obituary in the midst of mourning is overwhelming.. A potentially gut-wrenching task can become a joint venture in pre-writing her obituary. Funeral and obituary requests should be known long before there is an unexpected death in the family. Good Luck and do your homework. Cotact Roof Savers Sprinklers for help to prepare for a fire issue at: http://www.thisismytownusa.com/roof-saver-sprinklers.php

Create an Emergency Binder for your Home

How to Create an Emergency Binder

How to create a emergency binder? All familys should have a disaster kit put together which includes things like first aid items, 72 hour food kits, extra outfits, etc. An emergency binder is an integral part of this kit. What should be included in an Emergency Binder?
· birth certificates
· passports
· social security cards
· copies of your credit cards front and back
· homeowners insurance policy
· auto insurance policy
· life insurance policy
· bank statements
· retirement statements
· internet passwords (banking, personal, work etc)
· immunization records
· utility statements
· work/tax documents that would be difficult to replace
· CASH – keep a variety of small bills on hand
Put each item in a sheet protector and add divider labels to put them into sections. This makes it easy to pull things in and out when you need to access them.
Should I store copies or originals? This is a personal choice but you may consider  storing the originals IN your emergency binder and store photocopies of them in a filing cabinet, and also scan a digital copy and give it to a trusted friend or put it in a safe deposit box. If your house burnt down or was flooded it would be so relieving to know that you don’t have to go through the hassle of replacing those documents. If you already have a water/fireproof filing cabinet or safe you may choose to just put copies in your binder so that you can have the information on hand in an emergency but know that you can return home and find the originals intact at a later time.
What should I store my binder in? Even though the idea is to grab the disaster kit and bring it with you, there is always the chance that you won’t be home during an emergency. In this scenario you would still want to return home and find your binder in good Pcondition We recommend storing your binder in a fireproof/ waterproof locked box that is small enough to be transported with you in an emergency.
That’s it, good luck but “do it”

What to do to protect your from fire

These Simple Acts from CalFire's website give great tips on how to Protect Your Home From Fire.

As nearly a million California residents seek refuge from the devastating wildfires that have caused billions of dollars in damages, many families who have yet to evacuate are wondering when -- and if -- they should leave.
The California disaster is a reminder of the importance of knowing how to protect your home in the event of an emergency. The following tips just may save your home.
 First, turn off the gas -- this simple act can prevent an explosion. Then turn on the lights, which can help you find your way out if smoke gets into the house. Close every door and window to make the house as airtight as possible and also to keep any embers from getting inside.
 If there is time, move furniture away from windows and glass doors.
Open drapes to prevent them from catching on fire from radiant heat. Do not go to your garage; there are too many flammables inside. Also stay out of the basement -- they usually have only one exit.
Instead, identify what direction the fire is coming from and go to the opposite end of the house.
 It's very important to have a fire-resistant roof in order to increase the chances of your house withstanding a fire. The best materials are slate, tile, terra cotta or metal -- never use wood shingles. You also should have double-paned or tempered windows. Single-paned windows will break very quickly.
Finally, clear the brush and trim trees on your property so that there is no flammable vegetation within 100 feet of your house. That clearance could keep a wildfire at bay.

Need more information on what to do to protect your home when a wildfire strikes? Give us a call.  Roof Saver Sprinklers

Fire Safety & Prevention: What is Defensible Space?

Defensible Space is an area around your home or other structures, which can be natural or man-made where the vegetation and trees have been modified and maintained so to slow the rate and intensity of an advancing wild land fire. This space also provides an area for firefighters to work and can help to protect the forest from becoming involved in the flame should a structure fire occur.
Severe wildfire hazards exist on most forested building sites. Many can be effectively reduced by following these defensible space guidelines developed by the Colorado State Forest Service. Follow the guidelines below.

1. Thin out continuous tree and

 brush cover around structures. The initial 15 feet around a structure should consist of an area in which all flammable vegetation has been removed. Beyond the initial 15 feet, the trees should be thinned to 10 - 12 foot crown spacing. Occasionally, clumps of 2 or 3 trees are permitted for natural effects if more space surrounds them. The dimensions of a defensible space are subjective, site specific and dependent on site characteristics.
2.  Dispose of all debris left from thinning by either chipping, hauling away or by piling and burning.
3.  Remove dead limbs, leaves and other ground litter within the defensible space.
4.  Stack firewood uphill or on a contour and at least 15 feet from your home.
5.  Maintain a greenbelt immediately around your home using grass, flower gardens, or ornamental shrubbery. An alternative is rock or other noncombustible material; avoid bark or wood chip mulch in this area.
6.  Mow dry grass and weeds to a height of 6 inches or less for a distance of 30 feet.
7.  Prune branches from trees within the defensible space to a height of 10 feet above the ground fuels. Also remove shrubs and small trees, or other potential "ladder" fuels from beneath large trees; left in place, these can carry a ground fire into the tree crowns.
Trim branches which extend over eaves of roofs. Remove branches within 15 feet of a chimney.
8.  Clean roof and gutters of pine needles and leaves to eliminate an ignition source for firebrands, especially during the hot, dry weather of the fire season.
 
Keep in mind that by reducing the density of the surrounding forest and vegetation at least 100 feet out from your structure, if possible, is desired, taking any of the above steps gives your home some protection against wildfire.  Call me for information should you wish to be more proactive by installing an affordable roof top sprinkler system to further protect your happy home.