Johnathon Vera works with Arizona Pipeline Co. to extinguish a natural gas pipeline fire burning in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 11. Ryan Kellerman/NPR hide title
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"Take care of yourself, take care of your family. Recognize that this is a complete, devastating trauma. You can't escape it. It doesn't matter who you are."
Annie Barbour offers this advice to those affected by wildfires in Los Angeles, a wildfire survivor who is now helping others who have been in the same situation she once was. The heavy emotional toll that comes with losing almost everything you own, whether young or old, homeowner or renter.
"Honestly, that's why you're immediately shocked," said Barber, who lost his home. The 2017 Tubbs Fire in the Northern California wine region. "When I look back at my fire, I see other people's shock; I didn't see it myself. But obviously I was standing right next to them."
Wildfires give survivors a new future: While coping with severe personal losses, they must also develop new financial strategies, starting with finding a place to live.
“The immediate thing you think is, ‘What the hell is going on in my future?’ Or at least that’s what I thought,” Barber said. "And then you're kind of vacillating between, you know, thank God I escaped. So there's a real tug-of-war between being grateful and feeling needy and rudderless."
Barber's list of priorities starts with confirming whether your home is a total loss. If so, file an insurance claim to start the recovery process and help you pay for temporary housing.
"Their insurance company should put four months of loss-of-use (payments) or similar rent into their account," Barbour said. California law. "They could just do it."
Request a copy of your policy from your insurance company and study it to learn details about your level of coverage.
You should also apply for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (even if you have insurance) and the Small Business Administration (even if you don't have a business).
this The SBA can provide loans Offering interest rates as low as 2.563% to homeowners and renters, interest and payments may be deferred for up to one year. and FEMA says It helps the uninsured and also helps those whose insurance policies don’t cover all their needs. When you apply for FEMA assistance, you will need to provide your coverage information.
When you are allowed access to your property, take photos and videos of all items to document your damage.
“Keep all your receipts during the period of displacement,” said United Policyholders, the nonprofit where Barber now works. “Hotel bills, clothing and pet boarding fees can be reimbursed (through insurance) But a receipt is required. "
The group has a Tip listincluding ways to help you stay organized (e.g. create a journal, track details).
If you are a homeowner, call your mortgage servicer and ask them about their programs to help survivors like you.
According to federal regulations, "If you have a mortgage, you are still responsible for making payments when your insurance claim is paid." Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If you can't make your payments, ask your loan servicer about reducing or suspending payments and fees and possibly getting a payment deferment, the agency said.
The Mortgage Bankers Association says you must also protect your home from further damage, so if your roof is damaged, be prepared to board up doors and windows and cover them with tarps. explainadding that you should keep receipts for any items repaired.
A firefighter works to extinguish a smoldering fire in Altadena, California, on January 11. Experts say homeowners and renters in the area should take advantage of all available resources, from insurance payouts for temporary housing to assistance and counseling. Ryan Kelman/NPR hide title
Try visiting the Disaster Resource Center - two of them Just opened in Los Angeles. These centers can provide survivors with a wide range of assistance, from canceling utility bills to copying birth certificates and other official documents.
Nonprofit organizations will provide assistance. Typically, "you can sign up to have your property taxes reassessed," Barber said.
During your insurance claim, you may receive several types of checks. The most immediate are Additional Living Expenses (ALE) payments, a category that includes everything from evacuation and relocation costs to food and housing, furniture rental, storage and transportation costs.
When insurance companies finally start paying to rebuild or repair your home, "this check will go out to you, the homeowner," "It will come with the required signatures from the mortgage company," Barber said.
She recommends calling your mortgage company to make sure the funds go into the escrow account. Barber says this approach accomplishes two things: The escrow will secure your mortgage and it will fund payments to contractors when your remodeling project reaches milestones.
As you rebuild your life, it can be difficult to keep up with friends and family who want to help. Barber recommends saying something like this to them: "I don't know what I need right now, but a gift card or cash would be great."
Barber said that for some people, the worst effects of trauma may be felt months or years after a fire. She urged survivors to take advantage of any available mental health support.
Workers rebuild homes in Coffey Park in 2018, a year after wildfires destroyed many homes near Santa Rosa, California. Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images hide title
In October 2017, Barber was asleep in her Santa Rosa home when she received an immediate evacuation order, saying an explosive fire had crossed the highway and was headed toward her. this tubbs fire The attack would kill 22 people in Sonoma and Napa counties and destroy thousands of buildings.
Barber and her neighbors learned to navigate a complicated path between federal agencies. Insurance companies and adjusters; mortgage lenders and building contractors. She decided to use those lessons to help other survivors, becoming a volunteer and then a staff member for the nonprofit consumer advocacy group United Policyholders, which is sending her to Los Angeles this week.
Barber and her neighbors banded together and shared resources. After hard work and a little luck, she moved into the rebuilt home more than a year after the fire. For those who have lost their homes (literally, their foundations), she shares guidance on what to expect in hopes of easing their uncertainty.
"The anxiety is acceptable," Barber said. "You can feel it in survivors, you can feel it in yourself, and that's what drives survivors to make impulsive decisions that they shouldn't be making."
Underlying the anxiety is a host of questions, from whether homeowners have adequate insurance, to when they can contact a claims adjuster or remove clutter, and when they can return to their home or community.
"These people have so much going on, and the fires are going on, so they're also worried about: 'Is this going to affect where I am now?'" Barber said.
Barber said the loss of cherished photos and family keepsakes was felt immediately after the disaster. But for her, the biggest loss was a sense of security.
"You can no longer put your head down and think, 'I just closed off the world. No one can touch me here. I'm going to sleep,'" she said. "You're always on pins and needles."
For those who feel like wildfires have suddenly rewritten the path of their lives, Barber gets it.
"My house was nearly paid off," but the fire destroyed it, she said. "I was going to change careers. I didn't know I was going to go into disaster relief."
Several online resources provide information about the recovery process:
Resources to help stay safe:
➡️ As fire danger remains high, authorities are asking you to comply with evacuation orders
➡️ What to do and what not to do after returning home after a fire evacuation
➡️ Do you have cigarettes at home? Here's How to Make an Air Purifier from a Box Fan
➡️Trying to stay safe during a wildfire? There's an app that can help
Supported response and recovery methods:
➡️ Want to help fire victims? Here's what experts say is the most beneficial and where to find volunteers
➡️ Wildfire Donation and Volunteering: How and Where to Help
➡️ Share: These are the steps fire victims need to take to file an insurance claim
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