A
Genealogists Nightmare – Disaster in the Family Home
William
“Rod” Fleck[1]
This is the inside of the upstairs where the fire
occurred.
Some of the contents were thrown out the window
by the volunteers of the Clallam County Fire
District No. 1
The 2nd
of June was to be like any other day, or so I thought. I happened to be up early in order to attend
a cabinet meeting for the Clallam County United Way Campaign – I can truly say
that United Way saved my life.
The night
before, at about 11 p.m., I had turned off the computer upstairs. I put aside the certificates I had just
received on a family that had been very difficult to obtain and walked down the
stairs. Over the next 7 hours, the room
would go from a nice library and spare bedroom to a charred and cindered mess
pictured above.
On the 2nd,
I got up and jumped in the shower. It
was a beautiful morning with the sun out and I was sure that the hour-long trip
to Port Angeles would be beautiful. I
left the bathroom, passed through the living room and the stairs going upstairs
and noticed it was warm inside. “Must
be the sun,” I thought. I also noticed
a faint smoke smell. I turned back to
the bathroom to see if the neighbors still had a fire going from the night
before, and that is when I saw it.
The ceiling
moved and undulated – it was no longer white, but a smoky gray color and I
could not see the top of the stairs. I
grabbed the fire extinguisher, shot it off and was overcome by the smoke as I
tried to rush upstairs to save the library and its contents. Being male, I suppose, I made a second
attempt at that – and then called for help.
Within seconds we were outside.
The fire alarm downstairs, shielded from the smoke by the configuration
of the 1920s bungalow had not gone off.
There was not one upstairs – apparently, the previous tenants had
removed it and no one had thought of placing one at the top of the stairs.
My boss
being the Fire Chief as well as the City Mayor, was the first to arrive on the
scene. Neighbors came to help move
things outside as the fire crackled upstairs.
The fire fighters arrived and spent some two hours putting out the
upstairs blaze that was trying to creep across the house. Eventually, we would learn that some
internal wiring probably was the culprit
When it
was over, the entire upper portion of the house was damaged. Smoked had infiltrated other parts of the
attic, water from the fire hoses had literally poured through the walls and
first floor ceilings, and the task of moving out of the house began. Six hours later, we collapsed onto a friends
couch – shaken, shocked, yet fortunately alive. The next six months would be spent trying to get our lives back
to “normal,” or as one person put it “as close as that could ever be again.”
Remnants of a portion of the
family library kept upstairs.
If not chared, the smoke and
water were equally as damaging to the books and papers.
Since the
2nd of June 1999, I have learned a lot about disasters. This article is an attempt, by no means
definitive, to help my fellow genealogists to prepare for their worst nightmare
– a fire in the home.
It is
estimated that fires kill 4,000 Americans each year, injure another 30,000, and
cause $11.2 billion dollars of damage each year. Most fatal fires occur between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., the time when
people are asleep. Many of the
fatalities and a lot of the damage could be prevented through the use of
general safety precautions. Remember,
on average 800 fires occur in residential homes everyday in America. It can happen to you and your family, so
prepare for it just in case it does.
Check your
smoke alarms – and do it monthly.
It sounds so simple, but check your smoke alarms regularly. Every month see if the devices are working –
many just require you to press a “self test” button and the alarm sounds. Replace the batteries every year, or if the
alarm is weak sounding. Smoke detectors
save lives.
Also, make
sure that you have enough detectors.
The cost to have an additional detector is so minor, that if you are
unsure – buy it and install it. If you
have a long hall way, put a detector at each end. Make sure that there are at least two detectors on each level of
your house. Be sure to place a detector
in each room where there is something of particular value that you want protect. Finally, consider putting a detector in each
bedroom. It may sound like a lot, but
it could save you and your family.
Check your
fire extinguishers. You should
have more than one in your house. Be
sure that they are mounted in a place that everyone knows about. Be sure that they are charged. If you cannot remember when you bought the
ones you have, replace them or for the larger versions have them professionally
recharged. We have used the old ones we
are replacing as “practice devices” to understand how to put out a controlled
fire. Talk to your local fire
department about helping you understand how to properly use your fire
extinguisher.
Develop a
family escape plan. Discuss
and plan with your family how you would get out of your rooms in an
emergency. Make sure that everyone
knows where to meet once they get out of the house, and be sure that everyone
understands that once out, DO NOT GO BACK IN. Be sure to practice your
escape plan. Just having one is not
enough. The more it is practiced,
the easier it will be for your family to follow it when a disaster occurs.
Check your
various cords to your lights, tv, computer, stereo. If any are kinked, frayed, worn or split –
have them replaced immediately. Also,
if any are exceptionally warm to the touch, check to see if you are overloading
your outlets. If not, have the device
inspected and repaired. Also, check to
make sure that none of the cords are hidden under active walkways. Sometimes people put rugs over cords which
then get walked over for years. That
cord is forgotten, it frays, and over time it starts a fire. A damaged cord could become the source of a
fire, so check those often.
Check your
outlets. Every year we watch
the movie A Christmas Story with Darren McGavin. There is a scene in there where the father
attempts to plug in the Christmas lights, but there are numerous plugs and
outlet expanders already in the way.
Check your outlets. If you have
too many devices plugged in to an outlet, consider having another outlet installed. Be careful with the use of extension
cords. Many appliances, even computers,
can exceed the power carrying capacity of the extension cord. Again, if possible, have a certified and
licensed electrician add additional outlets rather than relying upon extension
cords.
Check your
surge protectors. Since the
fire, I have been asked if it was started by a surge protector. While not the cause of our fire, I have
heard of such instances. Check your
surge protector. If you are using an
older version, or if the one you are using is warm/hot to the touch, go out and
purchase a new one.
Also
realize that in 1999, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall
for 25 types of surge protectors, extension cords, and power strips. Check to see if you have one of those
recalled items by visiting their website at http://www.cpsc.gov/
and searching under “surge protector.”
Check your
baseboards. Be sure
that you do not have things on top of or against your baseboard heaters. It is a good idea to keep things at least
two feet away from the heater. Also
check to see if the heater is working properly. If it is all the way off, yet still producing heat – have an
electrician check it out.
Genealogy Safety Precautions
Copy
things in duplicate and share.
Every time you get that new document, certificate, note, etc., make a
copy of it and send it to the person in the family that you share this
information with. There are two direct
benefits from this approach: (1) another
copy of the item exists elsewhere should something happen to your
copy/original; and, (2) you will have someone else who is interested in this
hobby to help you. It always helps to
develop an “heir apparent” to your interests early.
Digitze
items if possible. If you
happen to have a computer and scanner, digitize the items as you receive
them. While a digital scanned image is
no replacement for the photograph of your great grandmother’s wedding, it will
at least allow you to have the image if the original photo is lost.
Back up
your materials often. It may sound
so simple, but many of us do not do it enough.
Back up your important files – genealogical and otherwise – and put that
disk in a safe, secure and separate location.
That way if something happens to your computer, you have the information
available to you from a specific point in time. You may lose some data, but you will not have lost everything.
Also, if
you use one of the many genealogical computer programs available on the market
(for example, Family Tree Maker®) you may be able to back up your genealogical
data on their computer system. That way
if something occurs to your data, you can request a copy from them.
Consider
purchasing a fire safe. Another
item to consider is the purchase of a fire safe to protect your valuable papers
and small items. Determine what size
you need and what price you can afford.
Also, give some thought as to where you would put the safe.
Insurance and the Genealogist
As
genealogists, we have a tendency to collect things – old documents, books,
papers, trinkets, art and artifacts.
Many of these things have a significant sentimental value to us, and
they also have a market value associated with replacing the item with something
of the same type and quality.
However,
if you don’t have homeowners or renters insurance, your loss will be even
harder to accept and recover from.
If you
rent, you should have renters insurance.
Most leases require it, but I have been amazed at how many people I have
met that do not have this type of insurance.
We have always carried it, and the small sum of money we spent over the
many years was worth the relief it provided in our situation. If you rent, do not rely upon the
landlord’s insurance. It only
covers the loss to the landlord (structure damage, rental value, etc.) Renter’s insurance is relatively inexpensive
– many times less than $150 a year depending upon coverage type and
values. It is worth the cost – trust me
on that.
Check your
insurance policy and be familiar with its terms and coverages. Make sure it contains a “replacement cost
provision.” This ensures that if you
suffer a loss covered by the policy, the insurance company will cover up to the
cost of replacing the item. When you do
suffer a loss, the insurance company will forward you the actual market value
of the item (sometimes referred to as depreciated value) and then when you
replace the item they will pay you the difference between the market value and
replacement value. This type of coverage
can ensure that you are able to replace those things you lost with like or
similar items.
Determine
at what level it covers collections.
Our hobby is based upon collecting things, and many genealogists have
collections of other items of interest as well. Most insurance policies are based upon an industry standard,
however, you need to check the limits that may or may not be associated with
your type of collection. Usually there
are specific limits associated with coin collections that fall under the
definition of cash and are quite low.
Other items that may be limited by the terms of a basic policy
include: fine art, antiques, stamp
collections, notes and securities, firearms, and jewelry.
Meet
with your agent. You should set up
a meeting with your agent, either at their office or in your home. If they are unable to do that, you probably
should consider finding another agent.
At the
meeting, discuss your policy in general with your agent and also discuss your
genealogy hobby with them. This is not
the time to tell them all about your family, but rather tell them about the
type of materials you have associated with your genealogical interests. Realize that the policy will not cover the
cost of data collection and research.
For example, the policy will
cover the genealogical guidebook you had, but it will not fly you to Germany to
reconduct the research you may have lost.
Show the
items you are uncertain about, as a result of reading your policy prior to the
meeting, to your agent. If you are
meeting in your agent’s office, take pictures or the actual item. Ask the agent to help you determine how your
policy would cover the Civil War rifle of your gggreat grandfather, or the fine
oil painting of great aunt Matilda.
Discuss all aspects of your collection and possessions with your
agent. The more they know before an
unfortunate disaster, the easier your claim will be when that unfortunate
event. They can discuss with you how
your policy may cover those items and what changes should be made.
Discuss
with your agent all aspects of your collection and your family’s various
possessions. The more the agent knows
about you, your family, and your possessions, the better they can ensure that
your have sufficient coverage. Also,
the more they know about you before a disaster occurs, the easier it will be
for them to help you in dealing with that disaster.
Sentimental
value v. real value. Be aware of
the fact that something that is extremely valuable to you for sentimental
reasons may not have a significant market/replacement value. Photographs, yearbooks and the like all have
a significant sentimental value, but the replacement value is rather low.
Uniform of Clifford Fleck
author’s grandfather
high in sentimental value, but not as high in replacement
value.
Does your
policy cover extremely valuable items adequately? While meeting with your agent, ask about
items that are of extreme value. If you
happen to have an autographed letter from General Grant sent to your ancestor
during the Civil War, you need to ask your agent about how your policy provides
coverage for that. The value may exceed
the limits within the policy. Many
companies allow you to obtain a “personal articles floater,” sometimes referred
to as a rider that can cover these very valuable items.
Such a floater/rider provides the
additional coverage in value, but also provides an expanded level of coverage
for that specific item. Usually the
floater/rider provides coverage for all perils that might befall the item, and
not just those specifically covered in the basic policy. These are usually inexpensive, however,
coins, cash, guns, and jewelry are the most expensive items for which to obtain
a floater. Fortunately, for the
genealogist most burglars are not interested in stealing your autographed
picture of Teddy Roosevelt, so the floater for such an item is rather
inexpensive.
Check the
value of the policy vs. the materials associated with your home. You would be surprised at how quickly things
add up. In our case, had the entire
house been lost with everything in it, our policy would not have covered our
loss. Work with your agent to ensure
that there is sufficient coverage. The
cost for the additional coverage is relatively inexpensive and could ensure
that you are adequately covered. Also,
be sure to update that amount as your lifestyle changes.
Check to
see if your agent offers multi-policy discounts. In some cases, you may be able to obtain a
discount on the cost of the policy as a result of your having numerous policies
with your agent. For example, some
companies offer a small discount for having both renters insurance and auto
insurance with the same company.
Take
pictures! A picture is worth
a thousand words, and in the case of an emergency many times the picture can be
worth money. Meaning that the pictures
of the contents of your home can provide your agent and any future claims
representative with proof of the items you claim to have lost. When taking pictures be sure to take
pictures of the condition, maker/marks, etc.
All of those details are needed in order to obtain compensation for your
loss, and are needed to replace the item as well.
With the
rise in video cameras, many folks want to use their camera to make this
record. A movie can be really
invaluable. However, a few suggestions
– TAKE YOUR TIME. You need to go very,
very, very slowly through your house.
Be sure to focus in on the specific items of great value, as well as
other items in the room. Provide a
narration as to what is being video taped.
Be sure to allow the camera enough time to focus in on the various
items. This may take an entire day, but
will be invaluable to you if a disaster does occur. Also, be sure to update the pictures/video as you acquire new
things and replace other items.
Store the
pictures and/or video somewhere else.
This sounds so simple, but you would be surprised at how many of us do
not do this. In our case, the pictures
were downstairs in another room. What
would have happened if that room had suffered the same fate as the
upstairs? Make a duplicate and store
this somewhere else. Ask a close family
member or friend to store the materials for you, or place them in a safe
deposit box at the bank.
When the
disaster occurs – a few things to remember.
Do not try
to save anything other than yourself and family. Efforts to save the material items could
cost you your life. Nothing is that
valuable to you or your loved ones.
Once you are outside, stay outside unless the fire fighters tell you
otherwise.
Call for
help immediately. Don’t wait,
things can go from very bad to worse in seconds. If your disaster is a fire, you need to remember that the smoke
can overwhelm and even kill you in just seconds. Get out and get help.
Follow the
directions of the professionals.
They are the experts and doing what they say will ensure your safety as
well as theirs.
Call your
agent immediately – regardless of the hour. Even though you may not want to wake them up, if they have given
you their home phone for emergencies – now is the time to use it. If you cannot locate the number, call your
insurance company. They will notify
your agent for you. Your agent can help
you figure out where you can stay, what you need to do next, etc. In our case, our agent came out – over an
hour drive, obtained lunch, talked to the fire recovery people, and started the
claim process three hours after the fire was put out. He was one of the many heroes that day. Remember, they are called “your agent” for a reason – use them.
Follow the
instructions of the insurance company.
Document everything, take pictures, videos, and keep notes. Keep track of potential witnesses, damaged
items that have been thrown out of the building by the fire crews, costs
incurred those first few days, etc.
Many times the agent will give you a packet of materials to begin your
claim on – go over these with your agent.
You may forget everything they tell you as a result of the shock of the
disaster – don’t worry, ask them again, and again. That is their job and they have a familiarity with the feelings
you are trying to deal with.
If you
have a computer, ask your agent if you can take it to a computer service center. Such a place may be able to salvage your
hard drives. The picture below is of
our computer once it got taken out of the building. A computer technician, who happened to be our neighbor, got
permission from our agent to remove the hard drives. Once those were removed, a computer service center was able to
access the data on both of them. As a
result, approximately eight years of files were restored, except for a virus
corrupted picture. This is something
not to wait on, the smoke put out by a house fire is very corrosive and can
quickly damage sensitive electronics, and anything else for that matter.
The cost
to save this data was about $50. Now we
have a CD that contains everything that was on our old computer.
Remains of a Gateway Computer –
however, the data was salvaged thanks to some swift actions
taken by computer service people.
Work with
your claims representative. After the
agent has helped you initially, your claim is going to be turned over to a
claims agent working for your insurance company. You need to work with these individuals in order to get your
claim resolved. Keep in mind that your
claim may be one of many they are having to process for the company. If something they tell you to do doesn’t
make sense, ask for clarification and a more thorough explanation. If you feel it is necessary, ask for the
answer in writing. If problems arise,
begin documenting what you did, what the claims agent did, and the
problem. Once you have all of that
prepared, meet with your agent and ask for help. Remember, that is part of their job and they are usually willing
to assist you in the process.
A couple
closing points.
Your life
has been radically changed. Realize your
life has radically changed and that it will take weeks if not months to get
back to any resemblance of normal. Do
not expect everything to be “normal” in a week…it just doesn’t happen that
fast. One person I met after the fire
asked me how I was doing, I said as best as I can be all things
considering. She then said, “you will
never get over it in some ways.” She
had survived a house fire as a child, and she says there are still times when
she wonders about a certain item and then remembers that it was lost decades
ago. That is the nature of a loss. While I think a person does “get over it” in
some ways, I also understand her point – you may be reminded of the event
throughout your life.
Realize
that people react to disasters in various ways. Not everyone is going to be affected the
same way, react the same way, etc. Do
not get upset at their reactions – they may not know the extent of the damage,
the loss, etc. Be willing to talk to
them about it, if they are interested in listening. Some people do not like hearing about disasters, others do. Much as you are wanting people to be
sensitive to your needs, do not lose sight of the fact that they may have
different levels of comfort with disasters.
In closing, I will say that the
last nine months have been an adventure.
Life is somewhat back to what it was before the fire, however, I think
every week my entire family realizes (1) how lucky we were; and (2) what we
lost in that blaze. I hope that this
article will help each reader understand what they can do to prepare for such a
disaster and who to respond if it does happen to their family.