If your facility is in an area susceptible to wildfires, take steps to prepare for the worst—the fire reaching your building. The first step is contacting your Church Mutual Insurance Company representative to make sure you have appropriate insurance coverage. Ideally, you won’t have to file a claim because you’ve sufficiently protected your facility from damage. Here are some helpful wildfire preparedness and prevention tips:
Maintain defensible space
Divide the area around your building into three zones, carefully selecting plants and materials that are appropriate for each zone.
Prepare your facility for evacuation
Sometimes, you have a few days to prepare for an evacuation. Other times, you must leave immediately. Either way, careful planning can make evacuation a much less stressful situation. Keep this list handy so you don’t lose precious time when you need to leave your building.
Create a vegetation management plan (VMP)
Not all trees and shrubs are created alike. A VMP for your facility includes information such as the slope of the land, the location of buildings, environmental concerns such as endangered species and wetlands areas, and possible prevention options such as controlled burning. A landscape professional can help you create the plan and decide what types of vegetation will be least likely to endanger your facility.
Click here to view our wildfire safety infographic.
Church Mutual has partnered with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to help protect your organization from natural disasters, such as wildfires. Learn more about how you can prepare for wildfires and find the insurance you need with Church Mutual.