[MFD594]

The "after the fire" thread brought up some very good points....

..Here's a few tips, everyone feel free to chime in/add yours...

#1- A valuable resource many forget about is the Red Cross. Whether you have 2 displaced people or 200, they will respond and typically offer hotel vouchers, clothes, etc to victims of incidents. They cost nothing and are a national organization.

In Nassau, they're number is (516) 747-3500

Just a blurb from their website....

Emergency Services

Emergency disaster and military assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for those Nassau County residents that have been affected by disaster. Call (516) 747-3500.
The American Red Cross in Nassau County prepares for and responds to disasters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through its Disaster Action Team (D.A.T.). Always on call, D.A.T. volunteers provide disaster relief to meet the emergency needs of victims of house fires, hurricanes, storms, floods, transportation accidents, and man-made disasters. Assistance needed by victims is evaluated by case workers and may include shelter, food, clothing, emotional support, household furnishings, prescriptions medication, and other critically needed items.

[1800BOARDUP]

I am happy that we are creating a constructive forum to help educate about what is available to help.
The Red Cross is a great resource and should be utilized when ever possible. They do a lot of good for both the fire departments and the victims of an event.

Good move MFD for increasing the awareness about them

[MFD594]

Thank ya....

The main objective is to help the victims out as much as possible...

Being a fire "victim" once myself, there's a lot of questions. There are also a lot of "vultures"....

...The "vultures" didnt know who I was (i.e. who my employer is or that I was a vollie)

Needless to say 2 adjusters wont be roaming around here for a while!

A lot of these businesses/services are "necessary evils". But, it is important the the Fire Dept to seperate themselves from "endorsements" on the local level....

Advise the homeowner to contact THEIR insurance company. That skips through a lot of nonsense.

If an adjuster is on your fire scene "hampering operations", have the PD remove him.

We're lucky enough in Nassau to have a great bunch of residents.

Family, Neighbors, Church & Other civic organizations.

I've seen members of the Clergy at fires where there is no injury- simply because it was a member of their church and they were there to help. I've seen next door neighbors secure deceased pets, as well as property, as if it was their own.

Its painful enough for people to lose their possesions, we dont need to make it any harder on them.

[peco]

Red Cross is the way to go. My department has a strict policy on advising or indorsing any company or product. Just one example would be the fact that many residents that my company respond to are low income, we provide free smoke detectors through a grant. We are not allowd to give preferances on which type or wich company to purchase from. the smoke detectors we get are from a reputable company but they have left their logo off the box. There is a liability with giving recommondations, what what you say, it will be repeated in court word for word plus more.