Frequently Asked Questions and Tips For Recovering After a Catastrophic Loss

FIRST 24 HOURS

Contact local disaster agencies, such as American Red
Cross and Salvation Army. They will help with your
immediate needs, such as:

Temporary housing, for you and your pets
Food
Medicine
Eyeglasses
Clothing
Other essential items

Contact your insurance agent/company. Make sure they have good
contact numbers besides your home.

CAUTIONS!

DO NOT re-enter the damaged site.
DO NOT attempt to turn on the utilities. The emergency crews
will have turned them off for safety reasons.
Stay behind the emergency ribbons that crews have placed around
the site. Porches, trees, etc., may have sustained damage that
would fail under weight or windy conditions.
Food, medicines, and beverages exposed to heat, smoke, soot, and
water are not safe for consumption

LEAVING YOUR HOME

Notify police that your home will be vacated.
Ensure that emergency crews or others can safely board up windows
and doors.
Begin immediately to save all receipts related to the emergency.
They are critical to your reimbursement of expense, and to verify
your claim of loss on your income tax.
If it’s safe to do so, try to locate your:
- driver’s licenses or Social Security cards
- insurance information
- medication information
- eyeglasses, hearing aids or other prosthetic devices
- valuables, such as jewelry, cash, credit cards, bank books

As soon as possible, make the following contacts concerning your relocation:

insurance agent/company
mortgage company (inform them of the emergency)
family and friends
employer
children's school
post office
delivery services
fire and police (if they don’t already know)
utilities

Don’t throw away anything until your insurance company has cleared you to do so. This is critical to settling your claim.

DO NOT contract with anyone for repair or inventory until your insurance company clears it first.

IF YOU’RE INSURED

Give notice of the emergency to your insurance agent/company, and follow their directions exactly.

Ask the advice of the insurance company as to clean-up and salvage of your property and it’s contents. If you live in a rental property, your insurance will only cover the contents. Your landlord will be contacted regarding the structure. If you own a condo, you will contact the HOA for coverage of the structure.

Find out, preferably in advance of an emergency, if your insurance will require a detailed inventory and value of your property and if so, store it in a safe place away from your property.

IF YOU’RE NOT INSURED

If you’re not insured, you will be relying on your own resources, and help from the community. Private organizations that help with disaster relief, such as American Red Cross and Salvation Army should be contacted immediately, and can advise you on resources available for your short term and long term needs.

VALUING YOUR PROPERTY

You will encounter different viewpoints on the value of your property when dealing with your insurance company and filing your claim with the IRS. Read your policy carefully, follow the directions by your company, and have as much documentation (receipts, pictures, videos) as possible to back up your claim. Also, familiarize yourself with the following terms:

Your personal valuation: attachment to and personal valuation cannot be measured, and hearing the terms “sentimental value” is not meant to belittle, but to separate feelings about goods from objective measures of value.
Some objective measures are: Cost when purchased, which can be validated with receipts. Fair market value before the emergency, which is determined by calculating the purchase price minus depreciation over time. Salvage Value, which is the value after the emergency. Replacement Cost, which is the cost to replace the item with a like (not identical) item.

ACTUAL CASH VALUE is the basis for most insurance agreements.
That is, the insurer agrees to pay for the property you lose at its value on
the day of its loss. In most types of homeowners or tenant policies, personal
property such as furniture, appliances and personal effects will be
valued on an ACTUAL CASH VALUE basis.

The standard homeowners form covers buildings (your home and detached structures) at REPLACEMENT COST without deduction for depreciation if you are 80 percent or more insured. If you are not 80 percent insured, they will pay the larger of either the ACTUAL CASH VALUE of the structural damage or the cost to replace the damage times your percentage insured. A careful review of your policy prior to your yearly renewal will prevent disappointments after an emergency. Check your individual policy for coverage and specifics.

It should go without saying, but:

You cannot collect more for a loss than it costs to replace the damaged property; and
You cannot collect more money on a loss than the amount for which you are insured.

Restoration Services

There are companies that specialize in the restoration of fire/flood damaged structures. Whether you or your insurer employs this type of service, be clear on who will pay. Be sure to request an estimate of cost for the work. Before any company is hired, check its references. These companies provide a range of services that may include some or all of the following:

securing the site against further damage;
estimating structural damage;
repairing structural damage;
estimating the cost to repair or renew items of personal
property;
packing, transportation, and storage of household items;
securing appropriate cleaning or repair subcontractors; and
storing repaired items until needed.

REPLACEMENT OF VALUABLE DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS

ITEM	WHO TO CONTACT
Drivers License	Department of Motor Vehicles—Powers Branch, 5650 Industrial Place, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO (719-520-6240)
Bank Accounts	Your bank as soon as possible
Insurance Policies	Your agent as soon as possible
Military and Discharge Papers	National Personnel Records Center Papers Military Personnel Records Center 9700 Page Boulevard St. Louis MO 63132-5100 www.nara.gov/regional/mpr.html
Passports	US Postal Office 300 W. South Ave. Woodland Park, CO 80909 719-574-9279 www.passportexpress.com/lost.htm
Birth, Death & Marriage Certificates	State Bureau of Records in the state of birth, death, marriage, etc.
Divorce Papers	Circuit court where decree was issued
Social Security or Medicare Cards	Social Security Administration 1049 N. Academy Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80909 719-574-9279
Credit Cards	The issuing companies as soon as possible
Titles or deeds	Records department of city or county in which the property is located
Stocks and bonds	Issuing company or your broker
Wills	Your attorney
Medical Records	Your doctor
Warranties	Issuing companies
Income Tax Records	Internal Revenue Service 24 hour Recorded Tax Assistance 800-829-4477 Federal Tax Questions 800-829-1040
Auto Registration and Title Cards	Department of Motor Vehicles—Powers Branch 5650 Industrial Place, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO (719-520-6240)
Prepaid Burial Contracts	Issuing company
Post Office	US Postal Office 300 W. South Avenue Woodland Park, CO 80866-9998 (719-687-6179)
Citizenship Papers	Immigration & Naturalization Service 1-800-814-1555
Animal Registration	Society or governmental agency of registry
Telephone Company	QWEST, customer service 1-800-1491-0118

Emergency Numbers

ITEM	WHO TO CONTACT
Electric Company	DIREA, 800 N Hwy 67, Woodland Park, CO 80863
Gas Company	AQUILA, 24-hr cust. service 1-800-303-0752
Propane Company	Contact your provider
Emergency Assistance	American Red Cross Pikes Peak Chapter 1040 S. Eighth Street Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719-632-3563) Salvation Army 908 Yuma Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (719-636-3891)
Towing Services	Fred’s Towing 687-9313 J.E.T. Service 689-2325 Lake George Towing 748-3331 Randy’s Towing 596-6067 Rocky Mtn Elite Towing 578-5566
Lock Services	The Lock Shop 687-2257 Lock Outs 648-5018 Pop a Lock 390-6690

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Welfare clients should notify their case workers if their identification cards for check cashing, their medical aid, or food stamp cards have been destroyed.

IN CASE OF PERSONAL INJURY
In the event that you, a friend, or family member is injured in the emergency, you should follow certain procedures if the injury requires treatment beyond the scene of the incident. Contact your company, health insurance, or agent if it is your personal policy. You may be covered under your homeowner’s, automobile, or health insurance. This would apply in the event of short or long-term disability, also.

SALVAGE HINTS
Information concerning the salvage and restoration of such items as clothing, cooking utensils, electrical appliances, food, flooring and rugs, bedding, leather and books, locks and hinges, walls and furniture can be obtained from the U.S. Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC 20472 or through the internet at www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/ after.htm Additional information is also available from the Fire Center of the University of Minnesota.

MONEY REPLACEMENT

Handle burned money as little as possible. Attempt to encase each bill or portion of a bill in plastic wrap for preservation. If money is only half burned, or less (if half or more of the bill is intact), you can take the remainder to your local Federal Reserve Bank for replacement. Ask your personal bank for the nearest one, or mail the burned or torn money via FIRST CLASS REGISTERED MAIL TO:

U.S. Treasury Department
Main Treasury Building, Room 1123
Washington, DC 20220

Mutilated or melted coins can be taken to the Federal Reserve Bank, or
mailed via FIRST CLASS REGISTRED MAIL TO:

Superintendent, U.S. Assay Office
32 Old Slip
New York, NY 10005

If your U.S. Savings Bonds have been mutilated or destroyed, write to:

U.S. Treasury Department
Bureau of Public Debt
Division of Loans and Currency
537 South Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60605
Attn: Bond Consultant

Include name(s) and address(es) on bonds. Approximate date or time period
when purchased, denominations and approximate number of each.

Fire Department Operations FAQ

Why are windows broken or holes cut in the roof?
As a fire burns, it moves upward, then outward. Breaking windows and/or cutting holes in the roof (called ventilation) stops that damaging outward movement and enables fire fighters to fight the fire more efficiently, resulting in less damage to the structure in the long run.
Why are holes cut in walls?
This is done so that the Fire Department is absolutely sure that the fire is completely out, and that there is no fire inside the walls or other hidden places.
Why is my car cut into pieces?
When access to patients is impeded by damage to the car, it is much faster, and critical to patient survival, to cut the roof, posts, steering wheel, etc., to gain access.
Why were firefighters in my house after I was evacuated?
It is sometimes necessary for crews to enter evacuated homes to ensure that utilities are off, pets have been removed, and there are no other hazards evident.
Is it possible to obtain a copy of the fire report?
Yes, a fire report is a public document and is available from the NETCFPD via mail or fax. When requesting a copy of the report, include the following information in the request.
Date of Incident ____/____/____
Incident ID# ________________
Your Name and Address ______________