Preparing For A Disaster

Moments after a disaster, people start trying to put their lives back together. After the Waldo Canyon fire, people could be seen sifting through rubble looking for any belongings that might have survived.

Now, as the Wetmore fire continues to burn, fire victims and insurance agents said they want to remind people of the importance of having an inventory of belongings, especially if an item is of particular importance.

“Who thinks about having an inventory? We have been married for 32 years, so we have a lot of stuff that has been accumulated over the years,” said Patrick Welsh, who partially lost his home in the Waldo Canyon fire.

Welsh went on to say that he now knows that taking inventory of your belongings can be as simple as walking around your home taking video or pictures with a cellphone.

State Farm Insurance Agent Connie Slater said that taking an inventory of belonging is especially helpful because it can help ensure a person gets full access to their benefits.

“To get the full benefit of your insurance, you really need to understand or remember all the stuff that you have, and most of us really underestimate what we have,” said Slater.

State Farm is also asking its clients, that have been evacuated as a result of the Wetmore Fire, to save their receipts to ensure they have the opportunity to be reimbursed for some of their expenses.