Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Fireman's Fund Unveils Fire Prevention Program

Now in the critical months of wildfire season, Fireman’s Fund is introducing a prevention-focused program for homeowners.

The Wildfire Readiness Program was developed in collaboration with fire departments and wildfire defense companies. Dan Cuccia, Fireman’s Fund wildfire specialist, emphasizes that the two best solutions for saving lives and property during a wildfire event are preparation and prevention.

“Our wildfire mitigation strategy is closely aligned with, and supported by, fire departments,” he says. “Our proactive measures play a critical role in reducing the likelihood that a home will burn if threatened by an advancing fire. Every dollar and every minute spent on prevention is invaluable to reduce wildfire risk.”

Highlights of the program include:

Wildfire susceptibility assessment: A Fireman’s Fund Risk Management advisor evaluates and scores (based on a nationally-recognized method) each area of the home and surrounding property, with areas of concern identified and recommendations made to improve survivability.

Defensible space/fuels management: Fireman’s Fund has developed close partnerships with firms that clear and manage brush and other fuels in an environmentally sensitive way.

Fire service visits: Representatives of local fire departments may make on-site visits to review firefighting strategies for specific locations.

Evacuation: Pre-planning saves time and can save property and lives. These services provide evacuation pre-planning assistance. For select accounts, these services can help ensure that family members are safely removed from harm’s way, and can have a prearranged list of valuables removed from a property.

Safeguarding: Offered with a leading firm in the firefighting industry, the program provides on-site wildfire service at preferred pricing. Firefighting equipment and crew are stationed on-site until the threat of wildfire has passed. This arrangement is complemented by a pre-event visit and customized consultation.

Fire-retardant gel application: (California only) For policyholders who hire independent companies that apply fire retardant gel, Fireman’s Fund will pay a portion of the costs incurred for applying a chemical fire retardant during a wildfire event.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I can tell you that in Arizona a program such as this would be welcomed with open arms. Everyone is concerned about wildfires come summertime, particularly.