TheCleaners.net

Have you ever had your house burn down? Been flooded out? Survived a twister... without saving anything else? Had the walls quake and the floors shake while your belongings crash down? If not, count yourself fortunate -- so far.  The devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Charley has reminded us afresh how fragile our seemingly-stout homes are.It has also helped us put everyday irritations into better perspective.

Are you ready, if disaster comes your way? Is there anything you can do to minimize the loss? Read on, and then get to work. Ben Franklin was a philosopher long before Murphy penned his Law, and he knew that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

See you soon!
Jim Nixon

If anything can go wrong, it will.
-- Murphy

Murphy was an optimist.
-- graffiti

MDA Telethon -- Sept. 5-6, 2004

Disasters come in all shapes and sizes. For some, it is the loss of a home. For others, though, the disaster is very personal in nature -- illness, disability, physical challenges. Each year the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon puts the final punctuation mark on our summer. Raising millions of dollars in donations, this event seeks to eradicate Muscular Dystrophy in our lifetime. Click the image at left and find out what station the telethon will be on, make a pledge, and learn more about the research that's being done. Thank you for caring!

Disaster-Proofing 101

We all experience loss at one time or another in our lives, due to things totally beyond our control. Even if you live in an area where you feel you're out of the flood plain, have built a home that seems impervious to nature, or live in a high-rise where you feel you're safe from everything... things happen.

For instance:

• You go on vacation and a water pipe breaks, flooding your entire home with water.
• An unexpected storm comes through town and backs up the sewers with run-off -- right into your home.
• A plane crashes in your community.
• A brush fire reaches your home before it can be put out.
• You come home one day to find it... empty! Thieves have backed up a truck and cleaned you out.

The scenarios are myriad, but they all have two things in common:

1. You could lose everything you own;
2. You can take steps to minimize the losses.

Be Prepared

Disasters are the great levelers. They put life in perspective as never before. Part of that perspective is realizing that some things are more important than others -- and some don't really matter, at all. That perspective forms the basis of good disaster recovery planning. The goal is to make sure that the most important things are protected first.

• People are number one. It might sound silly to have fire drills at home or to go over details of where all family members will meet up if something happens, but that little bit of rehearsal can mean the difference between tragedy and survival. Sit down with the family and map out escape routes from the house, and be sure everyone knows who to call to check in with if you are separated at the time of a crisis -- someone out of the area, so that a regional problem won't prevent you from making contact.
• Essential documents need protection. If you don't have a safe deposit box, rent one. Place into it items that are difficult (or impossible) to replace. What goes in? Deeds, ownership titles, birth certificates or naturalization papers, passports, certificates of stocks or other investments, trust agreements, copies of insurance policies, important legal documents pertaining to marriage, divorce or child custody. Also a home inventory (see below).
• Data backup means back up and running. These days, our lives are on our home computers, laptops and other computer devices. Many people make back-ups (sporadically, usually) and then store the back-ups in the same room or home as the computer. If fire were to sweep through, back-ups would be destroyed along with the originals. Yes, it's a hassle to take back-ups to your safe deposit box or other location where you've decided to store them. But how much hassle will it be if you have to reconstruct everything in the event of a disaster?
• Do a thorough Home Inventory. If you have a video camera or other camera, shoot EVERYTHING. That means computers to towels, stereo to jeans. "Little things" can add up when they must all be replaced. Use an inexpensive software program to make a complete home inventory listing the cost of items, approximate dates of purchase, and serial numbers or other identifying marks. Update the inventory annually, and keep a copy in your safe deposit box. A good inventory will help you to determine if you have enough insurance coverage now, and get you a fair and faster settlement if there's a loss.
• Home Sweet Office? If you work from home, or even telecommute only occasionally, you've got valuable assets to protect. Your home-owners insurance may not cover all you have in your office, and you may be vulnerable to loss through lazy data practices. Read more about things to consider in disaster recovery for a home office here.

Internet Sources for Details

The American Red Cross has an exhaustive list of some of the things you should do to protect your home and belongings from a natural (or unnatural) disaster. Check out their checklist here.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also has great tips for handling the aftermath of a disaster in your home -- from avoiding health hazards to getting things back to good condition. Check out their site here.

Clothing Disasters

No, we're not talking about "malfunctions", but real disasters. What do you do when your clothes are drenched (through the fire department'sefforts to keep your home from burning) and saturated with smoke, as well? What about when the roof blows off and your closet takes a direct hit from what seems like a flying mudslide?

Tips to keep in mind:

• Always be sure it's safe to go back into your home before trying to rescue possessions.  Wear appropriate protective gear -- gloves, goggles, respirator if necessary. Mold and mildew can get a foothold with breathtaking speed, and inhaling them can be dangerous.
• Document the condition of your possessions. This will help with insurance claims filing. Take photos, write details down, document your efforts to clean up.
• Remember that wet fabric is heavy fabric. If your garments have been soaked, be very gentle in handling them. If a garment is expensive, use a makeshift sling or stretcher to remove it, so that the weight of the water won't distort the shape of the garment or even tear it.
• If fabrics are delicate, don't try to unfold them if they're stuck together. This could result in ruining them.
• We have extensive experience in returning garments to good condition, since we do it every day. We know that clean-up of this kind is much more involved than regular drycleaning, and are able to treat your garments or refer them out to disaster-specific experts on your behalf.

HALF-PRICE COUPON
We will dryclean any and all garments for 1/2 of our regular price....No Limit
Does not apply to Shirt Laundry or Suede & Leather.
  You MUST bring in the coupon with your initial order - not when you pick it up.
Not valid with Gold C, VIP, Wells Fargo Link other coupons or all that other stuff we do
Expires September  11, 2004

We now offer Pickup
and Delivery Service
in Greeley through
Shi Duz It.

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