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JUNE 1ST OFFICIALLY STARTS THE 2006 HURRICANE SEASON



Hurricane Photo

 

Washington, D.C., May 26 -

As we move into the 2006 Hurricane Season, I wanted to provide you with some helpful tips on what you can do to prepare.  I also wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what I am doing to help fight against the rising homeowners’ insurance premiums. 

June 2005 was the most active month on record, with four named storms – Arlene, Bret, Cindy, and Dennis – forming by July 5.  We must learn from last year’s devastating and destructive season and prepare for any storms that may head our way before the summer’s end.

You can take several steps to protect your home and family from hurricane damage.  Placing storm shutters over windows or installing hurricane straps on roofs is effective at reducing damage to your home.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also recommends such steps as planning an evacuation route, clearing your yard of any loose objects, and storing bottled water.  It also pays to gas up your automobile and get cash from the bank before a hurricane hits.

You should make sure you are financially prepared for hurricanes.  For starters, conduct a household inventory of your possessions.  A video recording is always a good idea.  This will be invaluable in helping you prove the value of your property if it is damaged in a hurricane.  Make sure you keep two copies of your financial records and that they are stored in separate locations. 

Taking the time to protect your home can be invaluable if homeowners’ insurance is unaffordable or unavailable for you.  As I homeowner myself, I recognize the frustration you feel every time you receive your statement.  For this reason, I have introduced H.R. 4366, the Homeowners’ Insurance Protection Act.  This bill would create a federal catastrophe fund, which would provide insurance assistance to states that have created their own state catastrophe funds like Florida has.  This assistance will provide the safety net to insurers so that they continue to write policies in Florida and will help reduce costs to homeowners.  I look forward to working with my colleagues for swift passage of this important piece of legislation. 

I encourage you periodically to access FEMA’s Web site for the most updated information and weather alerts at www.fema.gov.  Additionally, feel free to contact my office with questions or concerns.  I will continue to work with Florida officials, utility companies, and FEMA throughout this hurricane season to ensure our communities are taken care of when we face these storms in the future. 

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© 2005 Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite. All Rights Reserved.