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Online Forum for Fire Survivors provided by United Policy Holders.
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Chipping service offered for brush cleared around homes
By Anne Krueger
STAFF WRITER
September 15, 2008
For backcountry residents, the hardest part of cleaning up brush to protect their homes from wildfire can be getting rid of the piles of vegetation and tree branches.
Descanso homeowner Jeff Simpson, 50, recently solved that problem by using a free chipping service offered by the Fire Safe Council of San Diego. A contractor took away about eight truckloads of brush Simpson had cleared from his one-acre property.
“Knowing we could get that done made it a lot easier,” said Simpson, a painting contractor.
The chipping service is part of an effort to protect residences from the danger of wildfire.
The service is offered for homeowners who live in backcountry areas considered particularly prone to wildfire. Fire officials recommend clearing vegetation in a 100-foot radius around a home.
“It's about creating defensible space,” said Tina Burnett, fuel education coordinator for the Fire Safe Council. “It's the No. 1 thing that will save your house during a fire.”
The service has been offered since 1998, except during fiscal 2006 when funding was unavailable. Funding is provided by the federal Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.
Private contractors perform the work for homeowners who contact the Fire Safe Council and submit a request form. Burnett said more than 550 homes had vegetation chipped between July 2007 and July 2008, but the organization wants to get the word out to more people.
“We're a nonprofit, so we don't have dollars for advertising,” Burnett said. “The best way is word of mouth.”
The service is being offered in these areas: Banner, Barona Mesa, Black Canyon, Boulder Creek, Boulevard, Campo/Lake Morena,Deerhorn Valley, Dehesa, Descanso, Dulzura, Jacumba, Jamul, Julian, Lawson/Lyons, Mesa Grande, Pala/Pauma, Ramona, San Pasqual, San Diego Country Estates, Sherilton Valley, Valley Center and Wynola.
Applications for Re-assessment of Property Damage by Misfortune or Calamity
This program is available to owners of real property, business equipment and fixtures, and to owners of boats and aircraft. Damage to personal property such as furniture or to growing crops is not eligible since it is not assessed for property tax purposes. This program requires re-assessment of the property to reflect its damaged condition, and the subsequent reduction or partial refund of the current year’s taxes. After the property is fully repaired, owners will retain their previous taxable value if the property is rebuilt in a like or similar manner. Please see the attached application for more details.
Assistance for Seniors 65+ is available through ElderHelp of San Diego
Contact Cara Simpkins, Wildfire recovery Care Coordinator at 619-228-6466,
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Assistance for the Disabled, Access to Independence
Contact Mary Vargas, CAP Advocate at 619-293-3500, TDD 619-293-7757, www.a2isd.org
Free Legal information and Assistance
Through Disaster Legal Services Project, call (619) 235-5656, ext. 202
Have you registered your cell phone number to receive a reverse 911 call?
When the power is out, those reverse 911 calls don't get to our home numbers, so getting a call on the cell is a good idea. Go to www.alertsandiego.com to take care of this important, potentially life-saving detail.
UNITED POLICYHOLDERS (UP) INSURANCE SURVEY for all San Diego County Fire Survivors
WHAT: Request for 2007 Fire Survivors to complete an Insurance Survey. See link below for copy of online survey.
WHEN: As soon as possible
SPONSOR: United Policyholder's, RB United and Rebuilding Mountain Hearts & Lives
QUESTIONS? Contact Amy Bach at
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Insurance Issues Survey: RB United has partnered with United Policyholders and other non-profit groups to collect data on insurance claims from the October 2007 Wildfires. The purpose is to identify individual and common issues with insurance claims that need attention. A leading insurer recently stated that 97% of its claims from the fall 2007 wildfires have been satisfactorily settled. This survey will help determine, among other things, whether or not that is an accurate statement. Please, help us help you - take a few minutes to complete this very important survey.
For online survey, go to: www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB227QRCRB2FZ
San Diego Regional Fire Safety Forum
The San Diego Regional Fire Safety Forum, Chaired by former San Diego Fire Chief Jeff Bowman, has set up a web site with valuable information pertaining to the Cedar fires four years ago, the fires in October of 2007, accountability for them, how we can protect ourselves, and more valuable information. Fore details, please visit their website at: www.sdfiresafety.org
ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS with CALIFORNIA DEPT OF INSURANCE in Rancho Bernardo
WHEN:
May 8th, 9th and 10th, CALL FOR AN APPT.
WHERE:
RB United Office
16776 Bernardo Center Drive, Ste 110, Rancho Bernardo
SUBJECT:
Individual appts with a representative from the CA Dept of Insurance.
FOR APPT, CALL:
RB United Office, (858) 485-1292
2008-2009 AFTER-THE-FIRES SCHOLARSHIP Announcement
Click to View Flyer
WHAT:
The San Diego Foundation is offering an After-the-Fires Scholarship to residents affected by the 2007 Wildfires in San Diego County.
DEADLINE:
June 30th, 2008 at 5:00 PM
QUESTIONS?
Call (619) 814-1343 or visit the website: www.sdfoundation.com
San Diego Regional Fire Safety Forum
The San Diego Regional Fire Safety Forum, Chaired by former San Diego Fire Chief Jeff Bowman, has set up a web site with valuable information pertaining to the Cedar fires four years ago, the fires in October of 2007, accountability for them, how we can protect ourselves, and more valuable information. Fore details, please visit their website at: www.sdfiresafety.org
Interfaith Community Services
Comprehensive Fire Recovery Services
Available for all Congregations
Please read flyer (.pdf)
Top 10 Coping Skills
What are some of the best coping skills out there? How they work depends on the individual, but it is possible to list some coping techniques that are helpful for most. Open up the flyer and learn how to improve your skills.
Click to View Flyer (.pdf)
Coping Tools, By Annette Nay, MS
Many people have poor coping skills. So when bad or stressful times happen, they chose food, drugs, or indulge in other behaviors to an excess, to bury all their problems. Instead of choosing to participate in unhealthy behaviors to relieve distressing feelings or procrastinate; use these coping tools to cope with the problem, until you can get fix it.
Never try to cover problems up. They will always come back. When they do they are usually worst than they originally were.
The problems you have been hiding from yourself tend to fester and finally explode. Then you have to deal with all of them at once. You could not deal with the problems one at a time, but now you have all of them to deal with all at once. This often results in suicide. Instead of choosing suicide, get help immediately!
Click here to read more... (A list of things you can do to cope with problems while rationally thinking of ways to work them out)
Taxes After A Disaster
Anna Maria Galdieri is a CPA who specializes in taxes after a disaster. She recently made a presentation to families in San Diego who suffered losses in the October fires. Attached is information from that presentation that may be useful as you prepare your tax returns. Although much of this deals with federally declared disasters, She does point out the differences between federal disasters and other losses.
"2007DisasterTaxIssues.pdf" is a print out of a slide show she prepared and presented at recent meetings for fire families.
"2007DisasterTaxWorksheet.pdf" is a worksheet you can use to help you organize your tax information for your tax preparer. Ms. Galdieri’s contact information is on both sheets so you or your tax preparer can contact her for a consultation if needed.
Voting in the upcoming elections:
In order to vote in the upcoming elections, families displaced by the wildfires need to contact the county of San Diego’s Registrar of Voters and give their new mailing address. www.sdvote.com
General Information: (858) 565-5800
Toll Free: (800) 696-0136
Email:
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Envision Homes - San Diego
FACES: The Story of the Victims of Southern California’s 2003 Fire Siege. Lives Lost, Lessons Learned. By Robert W. Mutch, July 2007
Download 12 page .pdf - Click here
Fire recovery center moving to RB Library
Click here to read article
Jewish Family Service of San Diego Responds to Wildfires
If you or someone you know has been impacted by the recent fires in San Diego County, free help is available by calling the Jewish Family Service Fire Support Hotline at (800) 295-4254. Individuals may also start the process online by visiting www.jfssd.org to register for fire-related assistance.
Citizen Action Team Relief Database
For the 2007 SoCal Wildfire Resources at:
2007 Fire Assistance Fund available for your employees who were affected by the recent fires.
Members of the CA society of CPA’s are offering free financial advice to fire families.
Fire Tax Relief Help for Victims of the Southern California Fire Disaster
City and County Contacts
Councilman Brian Maienschein
(619) 236-6655 Down Town City Hall
(858) 924-9406 Assistance Center
City of San Diego - Rancho Bernardo Local Assistance Center
18448 W. Bernardo Drive
(858) 538-8129
Building Permits: (619) 694-8236
Environmental Services
Trash collection, clean up hauling hazardous materials disposal,
dead animals disposal: (858) 518-2776
Fraud Hotline: 1-800-315-7672
County Mental Health Services: 1-800-479-3339
CA State Contractor License Board: 1-800-962-1125 or 1-800-321-2752
Palomar Council PTA Fire Relief
Click to View .PDF Flyer
U.S. Fire Administration: After A Fire
San Diego County Bar Association: Wildfire Legal Assistance
www.sdcba.org/disasterrelief
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Parents Guidelines for helping Children
impacted by Wildfires (pdf)
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Following is list of
languages we have access to for translators in the Westwood Community:
Arabic, Catalan, Danish,
Farsi, French, German, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Korean,
Malay, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Telugu, Thai
Vietnamese
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This link allows you to add your cell phone number to
the reverse 911 system
Information
for Fire Families from Deputy Mayor of Poway,
Merrilee Boyack
Tips
on Interacting from Deputy Mayor of Poway, Merrilee Boyack
NBC Firestorm Resource Guide
RBCPC
Survivors Assistance Complete Loss of Your Home.pdf (from RB
Community Presbyterian Church)
RBCPC
Survivors Assistance Partial Damage to Your Home.pdf (RB
Community Presbyterian Church) |
Insurance
- California Department of Insurance 800-927-HELP (4357)
http://www.insurance.ca.gov
Tips from California Department of Insurance
http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/0060-2007/release057-07.cfm
- Household Inventory – to assist in documenting the contents of your home
- Community Assisting Recovery, Inc., has provided free disaster recovery information and guidance for over 10 years in California. Help is focused on consumer's homeowner’s insurance claims and construction issues, to help property owners rebuild damaged houses and buildings following a natural disaster. Provided assistance to Poway residents following the 2003 Cedar Fire. http://www.carehelp.org/
- Insurance Help and Info: www.unitedpolicyholders.com
United Policyholders is a non-profit organization that has been helping
disaster victims recover and rebuild and tackling insurance problems since
1991. UP is funded by grants and donations. Our tips, sample forms,
programs and articles are free and "road-tested". Visit the new section of
our website: SoCal Wildfire Recovery Aid, to find all sorts of useful tools
and info. Email UP at
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Other Resources
Utilities
In the event of a major fire, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) asks citizens to conserve energy any way they can. If air conditioners must be used for the elderly, the young, or those impacted by smoke set the temperature to a higher setting than normal. DO NOT call 9-1-1 to report downed power lines or electrical outages. The number to call is 1-800-611-SDGE(7343).
Assistance - as posted on the City of San Diego website (www.sandiego.gov)
Rancho Bernardo Recovery Center
Federal, state, county and city agencies have representatives at the center offering assistance to fire survivors. Among the agencies and organizations represented are the City of San Diego’s Development Services Department/Building Services; the Offices of the County Assessor/Treasurer/Recorder; the California Department of Insurance; the Internal Revenue Service; the U.S. Postal Service; the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); the Small Business Administration and the American Red Cross. Utilities and other support services are also available. ATMs are on-site.
Rancho Bernardo Glassman Recreation Center
18448 West Bernardo Drive
San Diego, CA 92127
Directions:
I-15 to W. Bernardo Drive
Go South to 18448 West Bernardo Drive
Phone:
(858) 538-8129
Aid and Relief Organizations - as posted on the City of Poway Website (poway.org)
FEMA 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
(TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing-impaired)
Please have the following information available when you call:
· A phone number in case we need to call you back
· Address of the damaged property
· Social Security number
· Insurance information (if you have insurance)
If you are eligible for disaster assistance, you may choose to have the assistance check deposited directly into your bank account.
Government disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate you for your entire loss. If you have insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered under your insurance policy. Some disaster aid does not have to be paid back, while other forms of help may come in the form of loans.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or economic status. Anyone who believes he or she has been discriminated against should contact the Federal Coordinating Officer or the State Coordinating Officer.
For more information visit the FEMA website.
You MUST register with FEMA to receive disaster assistance.
To register on-line visit www.fema.gov/assistance/index.shtm
SEEKING SAN RAFAEL Parishoners:
We have begun a Guardian Angel Program for the 65 families whose homes were destroyed. If you are one of those 65 and would like to have a family assigned to your family contact Beth Siesel
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or 858-673-1040.
A guardian angel family will pray for you, offer support, and be your liaison with the parish for your needs for the upcoming year.
If a family has a home and still has needs (which is very common) please refer them to Tom Hanson, he will begin the process of sending the correct resources. 858-699-5847 or
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God Bless you all and have a great week!
Beverly Leis Rossio, Ph.D.
Coordinator of San Rafael Fire Relief
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