Managing a fleet and drivers can be a challenge, particularly given the potential for accidents, employee injuries, liability concerns and increased costs associated with vehicle upkeep. Nevertheless, your fleet—whether it be a handful of cars or dozens of commercial vehicles—plays a major role in the success of your organization. There are many benefits of Telematics for Commercial Fleets.
As such, it’s crucial to take a proactive approach to fleet management. To help accomplish this, many businesses have started to equip vehicles with devices known as telematics. These devices can help reduce numerous fleet risks, improve efficiency and promote safe driving behaviors. This Risk Insights provides an overview of telematics and the benefits that this technology can provide for your organization. For detailed information on the telematics solutions available to your fleet, contact us today.
The Basics of Telematicsfor Commercial Fleets
Telematics is a form of vehicle software that combines the features of telecommunications and informatics to help employers effectively manage and monitor their fleet. This software operates by connecting to telematics devices installed in a vehicle, including GPS technology, sensors, mobile applications, dashcams and vehicle engine diagnostics solutions. Common data collected by vehicle telematics software includes:
Vehicle speeds
Vehicle locations
Diagnostics data related to fuel efficiency and vehicle performance
Driving behaviors (e.g., braking intensity or acceleration frequency)
Telematics can be used in a variety of different commercial vehicles, including cars, cargo vans, tractor-trailers, buses and heavy equipment. Many employers use this technology to monitor vehicle deliveries, determine routes, communicate with drivers, review employee driving practices and detect vehicle maintenance concerns.
Why You Need Telematicsfor Commercial Fleets
Utilizing telematics software can benefit your fleet by:
Reducing operational costs—Telematics software can help keep drivers updated on upcoming traffic concerns or road hazards, offer rerouting options and locate preferred gas stations—all of which can contribute to maximum fuel efficiency and lowered operational costs.
Encouraging safe driving—Because telematics software detects driving behavior, employees will be even more motivated to follow safe driving practices and meet organizational standards. In addition, this technology allows employees to better monitor their individual driving habits and detect flaws that they might not have realized otherwise. In some cases, employers can send immediate in-cab alerts to correct dangerous behaviors in real time. What’s more, fleet managers can use the data that telematics collects to personalize driver coaching, helping employees actively address potentially dangerous driving behavior.
Fostering employee engagement—Drivers spend the majority of their workday confined to a vehicle with minimal communication opportunities, which can be harmful to both their physical and mental health. By implementing telematics software in your fleet, drivers will have an increased ability to digitally communicate and interact with others (e.g. their supervisor, co-workers and dispatchers) regarding travel progress, road conditions, delivery requests or vehicle concerns.
Bolstering fleet security—Due to advanced tracking and communication features, telematics software can also help keep your fleet safe and secure in an emergency. For example, you can utilize telematics tracking to detect the location and route of any stolen vehicles—thus simplifying the vehicle recovery process. What’s more, many forms of telematics software allow you to implement advanced security features in each vehicle, such as requiring the driver to enter a passcode before driving to reduce the risk of theft altogether. Apart from preventing theft, telematics software can also help drivers quickly alert the proper authorities and share their exact location in the event of an accident on the road.
Ensuring vehicle maintenance—Telematics software is able to detect a wide range of vehicle breakdown or maintenance problems, such as engine issues or diagnostic concerns. From there, this technology is able to inform the driver of the problem and locate the nearest repair center or garage. Also, telematics software can be programmed to inform drivers of routine maintenance requirements, such as an oil change or tire pressure check. Many employers pair telematics with a preventive maintenance program to streamline the upkeep of the fleet.
Reducing administrative costs—Telematics allows employers to digitize records that would otherwise have to be maintained manually, which can be a time-consuming process. Specifically, through telematics, employers can generate reports regarding expenses, driver performance, maintenance and fuel expenses, thus simplifying a business’s recordkeeping practices overall.
For additional insurance and loss control guidance, contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. today.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quote!
The presence of unemployment-related scams has grown in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Current unemployment scams include both fraudulent claims and unemployment-related phishing attempts. As many employers are currently dealing with the reality of a high amount of unemployment claims, organizations can take steps to prepare for fraudulent activity and to accurately identify legitimate requests. By taking proactive steps and preventive measures, your organization can be best prepared to identify and, if necessary, respond to fraudulent activity.
The Presence of Unemployment Scams
According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), scammers often file fraudulent unemployment claims, sometimes even for people who are not unemployed. And, unfortunately, many scams are not revealed until it is too late. Many scam artists may not even be located in the United States. With the coronavirus pandemic leading to unemployment rates as high as they’ve been since the economic crash in 2008, more unemployment claims are being processed than ever before. Scammers seek opportunity, and this niche has received enough attention to warrant a fraud alert from the FTC.
How Scams Happen
Unemployment-related scams can happen to a current or former employee—regardless of an employee’s role at an organization. While scams were also present pre-coronavirus, current unemployment scams primarily fall under the following categories:
Employers should be prepared to identify these types of fraudulent activities. By educating workforces, reviewing emails with caution and preparing appropriate scam responses, organizations can be better prepared for attempted fraud.
Preventing Scams
Employers can take certain steps, such as the following, to help prevent fraudulent activities:
Educate employees on how to identify phishing attempts—By building awareness of how to identify scams, employees can help prevent fraud. Employers may consider providing formal educational opportunities on how to identify phishing attempts and highlighting the importance of this topic using internal employee communications.
Train appropriate teams on how to identify unemployment claim scams—By investing in specific training sessions, employers may be able to help designated teams look out for common scams. For example, HR professionals who will be administrating or responding to unemployment claims should be well-informed on current scam tactics.
Review cybersecurity best practices—The FTC provides guidance, including a guide for small businesses, that organizations can use to help determine the best steps to take in their own organizations.
Communicate effectively with employees—While strong practices, education and training sessions can help prepare your workforce to prevent scams, employee buy-in will be key to effectively preventing fraudulent activity. Ensure education and communication regarding scams are ongoing initiatives so that employees remain up to date on how to help prevent scams.
Employers should be aware that there has been falsified information about unemployment scams being shared on the internet. Federal agencies, including the FTC, generally provide the most accurate and up-to-date resources.
Organizations can take steps to prevent fraudulent activities—appropriate efforts will vary due to unique aspects of your workplace, but proactive measures such as increased awareness can be an effective first line of defense.
Identifying Unemployment Scams
Government agencies and state representatives have standardized forms of messaging, which can be recognized by going through proper steps. According to a fraud alert issued by the DOL, the intent of phishing scammers is to have email recipients log in to an illicit account that impersonates the users’ personal accounts in order to steal various account numbers, passwords and Social Security numbers. Here are key points that employers should consider when receiving emails or evaluating unemployment-related internal practices:
Hover on and review links, but don’t click—By moving a mouse cursor over a link, you’ll be able to see the link without clicking and going to a potentially fraudulent site.
Know that state workforce agencies do not use secondary accounts—Real government agencies do not ask users to log in to external sites and will only ask for an email address if you are creating a user account on their websites.
Avoid following emailed directions to log in to a personal account—Common sites for which scammers have requested personal logins include Google, Microsoft, Apple and more. By logging in to what looks like one of these accounts, you may be providing your personal information, including a password, to scammers.
Responding to an Unemployment Scam
While employers and employees hope to avoid being victims of a scam in the first place, a timely and well-planned response can minimize damage and sometimes even prevent future fraudulent activity after a scam attempt does occur. The FTC offers the following steps for how to respond to a scam attempt:
Alert your workforce—Alert your employees that a scam has taken place and remind them of the need to be cautious. Ensure that employees know where to direct any notice from an entity claiming to be a government agency. This may be to a specified resource, such as IT.
Report the fraud—Best practices for reporting fraud vary by state, so check your state unemployment agency’s website for the correct instructions.
Retrain teams on what to look for—By investing in additional education on relevant scams, employers may be able to continue to help their teams look out for common scams.
Refer affected employees to identitytheft.gov—By reporting any fraudulent activity, including any identity theft, victims can get step-by-step help and the resources they need.
Ensure employees are aware of cybersecurity best practices—Effective cyber protection measures require buy-in from employees. Ensure employees are aware of how they can help prevent fraudulent activity.
Protecting Your Workplace
No workplace is immune to the threat of scams, and now is as good a time as ever to ensure your organization is taking adequate steps to both prevent and respond to any fraudulent activity. Employers should continue to follow guidance from the FTC and consult with local legal counsel when updating or changing policies. For additional resources, contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction”quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quote!
Cleaning and Disinfection of Households Amid COVID-19
This guidance provides recommendations on the cleaning and disinfection of households where persons under investigation or those with confirmed COVID-19 reside or may be in self-isolation. These guidelines are focused on household settings and are meant for the general public.
This article compiles expert guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Important terms to know:
Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces. It does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
Disinfecting refers to using chemicals, for example, EPA-registered disinfectants, to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
General Recommendations for Routine Cleaning and Disinfection of Households
Community members can practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks and electronics (see below for special electronics cleaning and disinfection instructions) with household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants that are appropriate for the surface, following label instructions. Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions you should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
For electronics, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products. Consider use of wipeable covers for electronics. If no manufacturer guidance is available, consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or spray containing at least 70% alcohol to disinfect touch screens. Dry surfaces thoroughly to avoid pooling of liquids.
General Recommendations for Cleaning and Disinfection of Households With People Isolated in Home Care (e.g., Suspected/Confirmed to Have COVID-19)
Household members should educate themselves about COVID-19 symptoms and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in homes. CDC recommendations include:
Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas (e.g. tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, phones, tablets, touch screens, remote controls, keyboards, handles, desks, toilets and sinks).
In the bedroom/bathroom dedicated for an ill person: Consider reducing cleaning frequency to as-needed (e.g., soiled items and surfaces) to avoid unnecessary contact with the ill person.
As much as possible, an ill person should stay in a specific room and away from other people in their home, following home care guidance.
The caregiver can provide personal cleaning supplies for an ill person’s room and bathroom, unless the room is occupied by child or another person for whom such supplies would not be appropriate. These supplies include tissues, paper towels, cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants (see examples).
If a separate bathroom is not available, the bathroom should be cleaned and disinfected after each use by an ill person. If this is not possible, the caregiver should wait as long as practical after use by an ill person to clean and disinfect the high-touch surfaces.
Household members should follow home care guidance when interacting with persons with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 and their isolation rooms/bathrooms.
Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. If reusable gloves are used, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection products used. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
Cleaning and Disinfection of Households Hard (Nonporous) Surfaces
Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. If reusable gloves are used, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection products used. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
For disinfection, most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
A list of products that are EPA-approved for use against the virus that causes COVID-19 is available here. Follow manufacturers’ instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time).
Additionally, diluted household bleach solutions (at least 1,000 ppm sodium hypochlorite, or concentration of 5%–6%) can be used if appropriate for the surface. Follow manufacturers’ instructions for application, ensuring a contact time of at least one minute, and allowing proper ventilation during and after application. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
Prepare a bleach solution by mixing:
5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of room temperature water, or
4 teaspoons bleach per quart of room-temperature water.
Bleach solutions will be effective for disinfection up to 24 hours.
How to Clean and Disinfect Soft (Porous) Surfaces
For soft (porous) surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning, launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items, and dry items completely.
How to Clean and Disinfect Electronics
For electronics such as cellphones, tablets, touch screens, remote controls and keyboards, remove visible contamination if present.
Other recommendations include:
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products.
Consider the use of wipeable covers for electronics.
If no manufacturer guidance is available, consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70% alcohol to disinfect touch screens. Dry surfaces thoroughly to avoid pooling of liquids.
How to Clean and Disinfect Linens, Clothing and Other Items That Go in the Laundry
Wear disposable gloves when handling dirty laundry from an ill person, and then discard after each use. If using reusable gloves, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other household purposes. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
Here is additional guidance:
If no gloves are used when handling dirty laundry, be sure to wash hands afterwards.
If possible, do not shake dirty laundry. This will minimize the possibility of dispersing the virus through the air.
Launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items, and dry items completely. Dirty laundry from an ill person can be washed with other people’s items.
Clean and disinfect clothes hampers according to guidance above for surfaces. If possible, consider placing a bag liner inside that is either disposable (can be thrown away) or can be laundered.
Hand Hygiene and Other Preventive Measures
Household members should clean hands often, including immediately after removing gloves and after contact with an ill person, by washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol may be used. However, if hands are visibly dirty, always wash hands with soap and water.
Household members should follow normal preventive actions while at work and home, including recommended hand hygiene and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Additional key times to clean hands include:
After blowing one’s nose, coughing or sneezing
After using the restroom
Before eating or preparing food
After contact with animals or pets
Before and after providing routine care for another person who needs assistance (e.g., a child)
Other considerations:
The ill person should eat/be fed in their room, if possible. Non-disposable food service items used should be handled with gloves and washed with hot water or in a dishwasher. Clean hands after handling used food service items.
If possible, dedicate a lined trash can for the ill person. Use gloves when removing garbage bags, and handling and disposing of trash. Wash hands after handling or disposing of trash.
Consider consulting with your local health department about trash disposal guidance, if available.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quote!
A significant number of organizational data breaches stem from phishing attacks. At a glance, these attacks result from a cyber criminal utilizing a fraudulent email or other form of communication to trick the victim into providing sensitive information or downloading malicious software on their device. Phishing attacks have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years and can take place in a variety of different formats. Read more to see how to avoid the 3 common phishing attacks.
What’s more, the consequences of such an attack on organizations like yours can be severe—including lost or stolen data, prolonged business interruptions, financial devastation and reputational ruin. With this in mind, it’s crucial for your organization to understand the most common types of phishing attacks and implement strategies to reduce your risks.
Review the following for an overview of three top forms of phishing attacks and steps that your organization can take to protect against them:
Deceptive phishing—Known as the most common type of phishing attack, deceptive phishing occurs when a cyber criminal impersonates a trusted organization (e.g., a bank) via email to fool the victim into providing sensitive data or login credentials. To prevent deceptive phishing attacks, instruct staff to avoid responding to emails from seemingly legitimate organizations if the message appears overly urgent or aggressive, contains a generic greeting or has spelling errors.
Spear-phishing—This type of phishing attack entails a cyber criminal sending a more customized email (e.g., using the victim’s name or job title in the greeting) to convince the victim to click on a malicious link or attachment. To avoid spear-phishing attacks, discourage staff from sharing personal or company information online, and consider investing in security software that analyzes incoming emails for harmful links or attachments.
Whaling—This form of phishing attack takes place when a cyber criminal specifically targets a company executive with a spear-phishing email, gaining access to the executive’s account or device and authorizing fraudulent financial transfers or the distribution of employees’ personal information. Reduce the risk of whaling attacks within your organization by requiring executives to complete the same cyber security training as the rest of your staff and implementing multifactor authentication for all financial transactions and data transfers.
What Does Cyber Insurance Cover?
Across industry lines, organizations have become increasingly reliant on workplace technology to conduct key business operations. Whether it be for communication purposes, e-commerce, or data collection and storage, continued technological advancements have helped streamline a variety of organizational processes.
Nevertheless, utilizing such technology and digital practices within your workplace carries additional cyber exposures and liabilities. All it takes is a single security failing to cause large-scale damages, leaving your organization to deal with the costly ramifications that accompany a data breach. That’s why it’s crucial to secure adequate cyber insurance.
Specifically, having a cyber liability insurance policy in place can help protect your organization against financial losses that result from a data breach or other cyber incident. Cyber liability insurance typically includes the following types of coverage:
First-party coverage—This form of coverage can offer protection for any losses that your organization directly incurs from a cyber incident, including:
The cost of replacing or restoring any lost, stolen or damaged electronic data
Income losses and extra expenses that result from disrupted business operations
Ransom payments from a cyber extortion incident
The cost of notifying any parties affected by a cyber incident
Reputation preservation expenses (e.g., any public relations efforts following a cyber incident)
Third-party coverage—This form of coverage can provide protection for claims made or legal action taken against your organization by any stakeholders that suffered losses due to your company’s security failings, including:
Claims regarding negligent acts, errors or omissions that caused a cyber incident
Legal investigation and defense costs that result from a cyber incident
Regulatory fines or penalties due to noncompliance with data protection laws
Don’t let your organization suffer the costly consequences of a data breach. Contact us today to secure a cyber liability insurance policy that meets your organization’s unique needs.
Top Reasons to Secure Cyber Liability Insurance
Many organizations incorrectly label cyber insurance as a luxury purchase rather than a necessity. In fact, a recent survey conducted by insurance experts found that nearly 60% of small and midsized companies don’t have any type of cyber insurance. What’s worse, less than 30% of those companies feel inclined to purchase a such a policy in the near future.
Despite these startling statistics, it’s vital for organizations of all sizes and sectors to secure adequate cyber insurance. Here’s why:
You can’t afford a lack of protection. A single cyber incident can cost your organization millions of dollars in recovery expenses, business interruption costs and legal fees, which—without an insurance policy in place—could cause financial devastation.
Cyber attacks are common. Don’t assume that cyber incidents are a rare occurrence. Especially as cyber criminals become increasingly sophisticated and organizations continue to digitize key business operations, data breaches have become a top threat—making cyber insurance all the more critical.
Coverage is a contractual requirement. Many clients, vendors and suppliers include cyber insurance as a requirement in contractual agreements. In other words, securing cyber insurance is crucial to maintain your supply chain and ensure solid customer relationships.
Noncompliance can be costly. In the event that you violate state, federal or international data protection laws, the resulting fines can be significant. Cyber insurance can assist you with these costs.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California,GDI Insurance Agency, Inc.is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Wildfires are a natural and essential part of a healthy forest’s life cycle, helping to recycle nutrients and allow vegetation to spread and diversify. However, wildfires also pose a threat to both the lives and property of anyone who lives in or near a forested area. On average, more than 100,000 wildfires clear 4 to 5 million acres (1.6 to 2 million hectares) of land in the U.S. every year. Being prepared for wildfire season could save your home and your family.
If you weren’t personally effected by a California wildfire last year, odds are you know someone that was. The 2018 wildfire season was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire season on record in California, with a total of 8,527 fires burning an area of 1,893,913 acres, the largest amount of burned acreage recorded in a fire season, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) and the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).
What Causes Wildfires?
Nearly
85 percent of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans. Often, these fires
are the result of unattended campfires, the burning of debris, equipment use
and malfunctions, negligently discarded cigarettes and intentional acts of
arson. The remaining wildfires are typically caused by lightning or other
weather events.
Whatever
the cause, these wildfires can spread to communities and force people to
evacuate their homes. While firefighters will do all they can to prevent the
spread of a wildfire, their limited manpower and resources may prevent them
from defending your home.
Although you may not be able to reduce the risk of wildfires occurring in your area, there are measures you can take to be prepared for a wildfire and reduce the risk of your property being lost to a wildfire. This guide includes methods for reducing the chances that a wildfire will damage or destroy your home.
Getting Prepared For Wildfire Season
Wildfires are unpredictable, and preparation is key. While specific, preventive action is the primary way to protect your home from the elements, there are some additional, up-front steps to consider:
Evaluate
your home and vulnerabilities—Every property is different and has its own
set of unique risks. As such, it’s critical for homeowners to have a thorough
inspection done to better understand the risks specific to their property.
Inspections, when completed by a certified professional, can provide valuable
insight into your property’s ability to withstand a wildfire.
Work with
a qualified insurance broker—While wildfires pose a real threat to your
property, many of the risks can be addressed through the proper insurance. To
get a better understanding of your options, it’s important to meet with a
qualified insurance broker. They can provide a review of your unique exposures
and the policies available to you.
Reach out
to your local government—In many cases, your local government can prove
invaluable when it comes to protecting your home from the elements. Government
websites, public works organizations, utility companies and building
departments can all provide expertise and tips on protecting your home.
When completing the above steps, it’s critical to take any home protection advice you receive seriously, whether it be securing additional property insurance or completing an inspection to help you improve your home’s defenses. Only then can you begin taking steps toward protecting your home from specific wildfire risks.
Wildfire risks can vary depending on the location and makeup of your property. While you cannot relocate your home, there are steps you can take to protect your home and be prepared for wildfire.
Be Prepared For Wildfire: Clear the Zones Around Your Home
Wildfires rely on heat and embers moving between fuel
sources in order to spread. Accordingly, one of the most effective ways to
prevent the spread of a wildfire to your home is to provide less fuel for the
fire to spread. You can achieve this by creating cleared zones around your
home. This entails moving or removing vegetation and other sources of fuel from
close proximity to each other in a way that makes it difficult for a fire to reach
your home.
First Cleared Zone: 30 Feet Surrounding Your Home
The area immediately surrounding your home, or about 30 feet
in any direction from your home, is the most important zone to clear from
anything that a wildfire could use as fuel. Flammable species of plants, such
as pine, spruce and juniper trees, should not be present in this zone at all. If
you are unsure about the flammability of various plants, contact your local
fire department for more information.
In addition to vegetation, it’s important to keep this area
clear of other objects that might easily catch fire. Regularly clear your yard
and gutters of sticks, leaves and other debris that might collect there, move
any piles of firewood away from your house, keep grass cut short and avoid
using bark mulch or pine needles for decoration. Debris can also collect
beneath stairs, in pots or barrels and underneath decks. While these may seem
like small hard-to-reach places, it only takes a single spark to start a
dangerous fire.
Additionally, there are ways that you can prepare your home
to withstand a fire, such as using fire-resistant materials and protecting
compromised areas from sparks and embers. For example, windows should be
tempered and double-paned, doors should be fire-rated with a good seal and
solid shutters, and metal fire screens can provide additional protection for
windows and doors. Wooden fences or boardwalks should have a metal gate to slow
the advance of a fire. Vents can be screened with wire mesh, and eaves can be
fitted with soffits and fascia to reduce the chances of embers and heat
reaching wooden rafters. As for the largest surfaces of your house, the roof
and siding, below are some fire-resistant materials to consider:
Roof
Metal
Asphalt
Clay
Composite rubber tiles
Siding
Stucco
Metal
Brick
Concrete
Fiber cement
Second Cleared Zone: 30 – 100 Feet Surrounding Your Home
Slowing or stopping the spread of fire in the area between
30 and 100 feet of your home can greatly reduce the chances of a fire spreading
closer to it. In this zone, fire can spread easily between trees. Accordingly,
it’s important to prune trees and clean up fallen branches, leaves and needles.
Space trees in this zone at least 10 feet apart, measured by the outermost
branches of each tree, and prune all tree branches that are within 6 feet of
the ground. This helps prevent fire from spreading from tree-to-tree, as well
as ground fire from moving into the treetops. To avoid damaging a tree, never prune
more than a third of the canopy, and leave the main trunk and bark of the tree
intact when pruning branches.
Third Cleared Zone: 100 – 300 Feet Surrounding Your Home
For any area between 100 and 300 feet around your home, the
goal is to create an environment where fires will be less intense and easily
extinguished. To do this, continue to thin and prune trees as in the second zone,
creating firebreaks that make it difficult for fires to jump between trees and
other vegetation. If your house is on a hill, consider extending this zone
further since fire moves quickly uphill. If you do not own the property within
300 feet of your home, talk to your neighbor about agreeing to follow these
methods to keep each other’s houses safe from a wildfire.
Avoid Becoming the Source of a Wildfire
Large wildfires can be started by a single small accident, and all the preparation to the area around your home will be for naught if your property is the source of a wildfire. Make sure your chimney is up to current building code requirements and includes spark arrestors. Keep burn barrels and fire pits away from buildings and at least 10 feet away from woodpiles and other materials that may catch fire. Burn barrels should also be properly ventilated, covered with a screen and never unattended. Clear vegetation from possible sources of fuel, such as propane tanks and power lines. Keep fire extinguishers, garden hoses, sprinklers, shovels, rakes, axes and other tools on hand that could be used to put out or cut off a small fire before it grows into a wildfire. In the event of a fire at your property, do not hesitate to contact local fire officials.
Wildfire-related risks can affect your home unexpectedly,
often leading to major property damage. While you can’t always predict the
movement and spread of a wildfire, the proper insurance can go a long way
toward protecting your finances. To learn more about the specific policies
available to you, it’s important to work with a qualified insurance broker.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more.
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business. Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive home insurance quote!
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The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
