Navigating Social Distancing & Boating
COVID-19 is forcing everyone to navigate uncharted waters, including boaters. Many people are wondering if they can go boating, who they can boat with, and where they can go once they leave the dock. In many areas, the water is open, however, it’s more important than ever that boaters are responsible to limit unnecessary risk not only to themselves, but to other boaters, law enforcement, and first responders.
The Safe Boating Campaign, led by the National Safe Boating Council, offers these tips for practicing social distancing and safety while boating:
Follow state and local guidance from public health officials, marine law enforcement agencies, department of natural resources, park services and others. For example, some areas prohibit powerboating while allowing paddling (e.g. kayak, SUP, canoe) as exercise.- Stay in your local community.
- Limit the people aboard your boat to people in your immediate household. No guests, no friends, no grandparents that don’t live in your house.
- File a float plan. Make sure a loved one or friend knows the details of your trip in the event of an emergency.
- Everyone should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when you’re on the water. You never know when an accident may happen, and a life jacket can help save you until search and rescue assets can arrive.
- Stay at least six feet away from other people who do not live in your house.
- Maintain safe distance at the fuel dock or loading up at the marina.
- Wash hands frequently or use a hand sanitizer, such as after touching a marina gate or fuel pump.
Don’t raft up to other boaters or pull up onto a beach next to someone else as it could put you in close proximity to others.- Go right from your house to the boat and back so that you don’t have unnecessary contact with anyone.
- Carry all required boating safety equipment such as flares, navigation light, a horn or whistle, a first aid kit.
- Pack food, water and other things you may need as restaurants and marina stores may not be open.
- Be sure to have at least two communication devices that work when wet, such as satellite phones, emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB), VHF radios and personal locator beacons (PLB). Cell phones are not reliable in an emergency situation.
- Don’t go boating if someone in your household is sick.
- Don’t drink and boat.
By following these tips, you can enjoy your boat, the water, sunshine and fresh air responsibly.
Content: SafeBoatingCampaign.com
Got Power?
Whether caused by lighting, high winds or an overloaded power grid, extreme summer weather can trigger power outages— will you be ready when the lights go out? A lengthy power outage that affects your home can also threaten your family’s safety or damage your property.
Be Ready When the Lights Go Out!
- Have plenty of flashlights and fresh batteries on hand.
- Stock up on extra food and water. Keep a manual can opener and food that doesn’t requires cooking – unless you have an alternate cooking source like a propane grill or camping stove with plenty of fuel.
- Have at least a week’s worth of prescription medications available.
- Have a first aid kit, list of emergency phone numbers and a charged mobile phone.
- Fill up car gas tanks and have cash on hand, since gas stations and banks may be out of service.
- Invest in a surge protector for your electronics.
- Regularly back up critical computer files.
- Have one or more coolers ready for perishable foods in case of long-term outages.
- If you have room, fill jugs of water an inch from the top and keep them in your freezer. If the power goes out, the frozen jugs will slow the defrosting of your freezer.
- Stock up on playing cards and board games. Playing games will help pass the time and keep everyone’s mind off the situation.
- Store extra clothes and blankets for when power and heat are lost. (winter)
Enduring a power outage, what to do until the power is restored:
- Unplug the TV, computer and other electronics to protect them from electrical surges.
- Give each family member a flashlight to use for trips to the bathroom or around the house.
- Have a battery-operated or hand-crank radio to monitor weather alerts and disaster instructions, as well as music and entertainment to help brighten the mood.
- Use water sparingly. For example, flush the toilet with leftover cooking or washing water.
- Eat and drink regularly to stay hydrated and help regulate your body temperature.
- Scan the area around your house for downed electrical lines.
- If you see sparks, hear crackling or spot a downed line moving, report it to your electric company – and stay away from it.
- Don’t run a generator inside your home. They create deadly carbon monoxide.
- Leave one light in the “on” position so you know when power has resumed.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed. A half-full freezer will hold for up to 24 hours, a full one for 48 hours.
- Have everyone sleeping in one room, so that children won’t be frightened or disorientated if they wake up in the dark.
- During a winter blackout, store milk or other perishables in a cooler on a deck or porch, or in a garage.
- If using a gas generator, or a kerosene or gas stove, open a window a few inches to keep the house ventilated.
- Cover north-facing windows with heavy plastic. Arctic air usually sweeps down from the north and east.
- Place sheets, towels, or draft stoppers at the bottoms of poorly sealed doors or windows to keep frigid air out.
- Choose activities to keep calm and entertained until the power comes back on.
Recovering from a power outage:
- Once power has been restored, check your frozen and refrigerated items with a thermometer to make sure they’re still safe to eat.
- Before plugging in electronic equipment, be sure the electricity is fully restored.
- If you believe your home or belongings were damaged as a result of blackout conditions, gather documentation about your possible claim and contact your insurance company or agent.
Source: Nationwide Insurance ©2020
Summer Heat Safety Tips & First Aid
It’s the zenith of summer and the mercury is likewise at its seasonal peak. As we have recently experienced, a heat wave — 3 or more straight days with temperatures above 90 degrees — can pose a danger and cause serious health issues. Here are some summer heat safety tips to help protect yourself and your loved ones as you enjoy the season.
Stay indoors as much as possible, and limit sun exposure:
- If you don’t have AC, visit someplace that does – such as a library or shopping mall, if possible.
- If you need to work outdoors, do it in the early mornings or evenings; luckily there’s still daylight after 8pm.
Drink plenty of water and eat well-balanced, light meals and avoid alcohol.- Dress in loose, lightweight and light-colored clothes.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face and neck from the sun.
- Be sure pets have plenty of water and a cool place to rest.
- Keep an eye on older adults, young children and those who are sick or overweight.
- Never leave children or pets in closed vehicles
Keep your place cool, when the outside temps rise:
Install central air conditioning (AC) or window air conditioners.- Check AC ducts for proper insulation.
- Weather-strip doors and windows to keep cool air inside.
- Use shades and awnings to keep extreme heat outside.
- Keep storm windows up all year.
- Install temporary window reflectors to reflect the heat back outside.
Recognize & Aid Heat-Related Medical Issues:
Heat Cramps occur with muscle pain and spasms
- Have victim rest in comfortable position.
- Stretch the affected muscle lightly and replenish fluids.
- Give the victim half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes.
- Don’t give them drink that contain alcohol or caffeine. Water is best. Or juice.
Heat Exhaustion is caused by overexertion in a hot place. Blood flow to vital organs is restricted, causing the victim to go into mild shock. If not treated, the victim may have Heat Stroke.
- Move the victim to a cooler place.
- Loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet towels or sheets.
- Have the victim slowly drink half a glass of water every 15 minutes. No liquids with alcohol or caffeine.
- Let the victim rest.
Heat Stroke is a serious, life-threatening condition caused when the sweating function, which cools the body, starts breaking down. As a result, the body temperature can rise high enough to cause brain damage or death.
- Call 911 Immediately
- Move the victim to a cooler place.
- Put them in a cool bath or wrap them in wet sheets and fan their body.
- Monitor their breathing.
- If the victim is vomiting, fading in and out of consciousness or refusing water, don’t give them anything to eat or drink.
Source: Nationwide Insurance ©2020
LIGHTNING MYTHS & FACTS
Know the Truth About Lightning Dangers
“When thunder roars, go indoors!” is a truism that actually holds up. But much of what we think we know about lightning is fiction. Here are some common myths, along with the facts that will keep you and your loved ones safe in a storm. Your safety and wellbeing may depend on knowing the difference between these lightning myths and the facts.
MYTH #1: If you don’t see rain or clouds, you’re safe.
FACT: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even the thunderstorm cloud. Though infrequent, “bolts from the blue” have been known to strike areas as distant as 10 miles from their thunderstorm origins, where the skies appear clear.
MYTH #2: If you’re outside in a storm, lie flat on the ground.
FACT: Lying flat on the ground makes you more vulnerable to electrocution, not less. Lightning generates potentially deadly electrical currents along the ground in all directions—by lying down, you’re providing more potential points on your body to hit.
MYTH #3: If you touch a lightning victim, you’ll be electrocuted.
FACT: The human body doesn’t store electricity. It is perfectly safe to touch a lightning victim to give them first aid.
MYTH #4: A house will always keep you safe from lightning.
FACT: While a house is the safest place you can be during a storm, just going inside isn’t enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors or metal window frames. Don’t stand near a window to watch the lightning. An inside room is generally safe, but a home equipped with a professionally installed lightning protection system is the safest shelter available.
MYTH #5: Wearing metal on your body attracts lightning.
FACT: The presence of metal makes very little difference in determining where lightning will strike. Height, pointy shape and isolation are the dominant factors in whether lightning will strike an object (including you). However, touching or being near metal objects, such as a fence, can be unsafe when thunderstorms are nearby. If lightning does happen to hit one area of the fence—even a long distance away—the metal can conduct the electricity and electrocute you.
MYTH #6: Surge suppressors can protect a home against lightning.
FACT: Surge arresters and suppressors are important components of a complete lightning protection system, but can do nothing to protect a structure against a direct lightning strike. These items must be installed in conjunction with a lightning protection system to provide whole house protection.
Follow us on Facebook this month, where our #TipTuesday series will debunk the 4 most popular #LightningMyths including:
MYTH #7: Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.
MYTH #8: Lightning only strikes the tallest objects.
MYTH #9: If you’re stuck in a thunderstorm, being under a tree is better than no shelter at all.
MYTH #10: A car’s rubber tires will protect you from lightning.
LIGHTNING PROTECTION & COVERAGE
How to keep your family, your home and your belongings safe from lightning.
At any given time on our planet Earth, there are 1,800 thunderstorms in progress—and with them comes lightning. Your standard homeowners and business insurance policies, and the comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy cover damages—such as a fire—that results from a lightning strike. Some policies also provide coverage for the damage caused by power surges. However, bodily harm from lightning isn’t easily remedied. Here are some steps you can take to prevent the dangerous effects of lightning and to keep your family safe.
Install a Lightning Protection System (LPS)
An LPS provides a specified path on which lightning can travel. A rooftop network of lightning rods or air terminals is connected to a series of down conductors, which carry the current down to a grounding network. In that way, the system safely directs the destructive power of the lightning strike into the ground, which leaves the structure of your home or business and its contents undamaged. Installing a LPS is not a “do-it-yourself” project—contract a UL-listed lightning protection specialist to install the system in accordance with national safety standards.
Protect Your Home and Electronics from Surges
Electrical surges from lightning can enter a structure via power transmission lines and cause electrical fires as well as damage to your building’s electrical system, your appliances and your home electronics. Regular power strips offer little surge protection. To assure the best safeguards, UL-listed surge protection devices (SPDs) should be installed to filter and dissipate damaging electrical discharges. Most electric utilities will rent or sell a surge device for the electric meter to “clamp down” on incoming surges; licensed electricians can install similar protection. To protect valuable electronics like computers, home entertainment centers, gaming systems and smart home technology, install UL-listed transient voltage surge suppressors–and consider unplugging expensive electronics when you know a storm is approaching. More information from National Grid
Protect Your Family with Precautions
When thunder roars, go indoors. During a storm, it’s best to take shelter in a house or other fully enclosed building. Inside, don’t stand near open windows, doorways or metal piping. Stay off the phone and avoid contact with small appliances, like toasters and hairdryers. As water conducts electricity, also stay away from plumbing, sinks, tubs and radiators.- If you know a storm is coming, avoid known hazards and dangerous locations. These include areas where you will be the highest object—a golf course, for example. Bodies of water also attract lightning, so avoid lakes, beaches or open water, and fishing from a boat or dock. Never ride golf carts, farm equipment, motorcycles or bicycles during a thunderstorm.
- If you are caught outside in a thunderstorm, take shelter in a hard topped-vehicle or a low area such a tunnel or even a cave if necessary. Stay clear of fences, isolated trees and other conductive objects such as telephone poles, power lines and pipelines. These present a danger from a potential side flash, which is voltage from a nearby, lightning-struck object./li>
- If you’re caught in an open field with no nearby shelter, and your hair begins to stand on end, drop down into a crouch with your hands on your knees, and balance on the balls of your feet. The static electricity in your hair is an indication that lightning is about to strike, and the idea is to make as little contact with the ground as possible. Never lie down flat or place your hands on the ground.
Vacation & Staycation Safety Tips to Help Prevent Home Burglary
Although fly-away vacations will likely be on hold this summer, you may still get-away to the great outdoors with a family road-trip or pleasure-cruise. But, before you pull out of your driveway or cast off of the dock, check out these tips to prevent burglary and ensure that you’ll have a happy homecoming!
Deter Burglars All Year Long, Install the Following:
- Home Security System
- Strong Exterior Doors (made of solid wood or steel)
- Deadbolt Locks
- Motion-Activated Sensors on Outdoor Floodlights
- Block Basement Windows
- Lock Pet Doors
And Prior to Traveling:
- Don’t share about your trip on social media or in public until after you have returned home
- Make an Inventory of valuables w/ serial numbers and photos
- Stop the newspaper, mail and other deliveries or ask a trusted neighbor to pick them up
- Put at least one light on a timer
- Arrange for your lawn to stay trimmed
Make It Difficult for Burglars:
- Don’t store expensive flatware in the dining room hutch
- Don’t keep expensive jewelry on your bedroom dresser
- Keep important documents, financial information and small valuables in a fireproof safe, discreetly hidden in your house.
Have the Right Home Insurance Policy:
No matter the precautions taken to prevent theft, sometimes the unexpected still happens. In the event thieves break into your house, steal your personal items or damage your home, home insurance may be able to help you.
Call us at 401-846-9629 for a free policy review.
We’re always here to help!
Source: Nationwide Insurance ©2020
Stem to Stern: Know Your Boat’s Insurance Coverage
Boat Owners Should Review Three Often Overlooked Policy Issues
With National Safe Boating Week (May 16-22) days away, the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) reminds boat owners to secure the right type and amount of coverage for their recreational vessel.
Beyond covering a boat owner in the event of theft, boat insurance policies typically provide coverage to repair a boat if it is accidentally damaged or destroyed due to a collision or because the boat struck a submerged object. Property damage to a boat caused by vandalism, a windstorm, or lightning are also covered under most boat insurance policies.
Boat insurers typically assess risk and price their policies based on differing factors. For instance, a boat owner’s operational experience can play a large role in determining a prospective policyholder’s eligibility for coverage and what they will pay for a policy. The boat’s make, model, age and value often influence the cost of a boat insurance policy, too. In addition, boat insurers want to know the boat’s primary cruising areas, also known as navigational territories.
The I.I.I. counsels boat owners to focus on three lesser-known but important issues when either buying or renewing a boat insurance policy.
- Agreed Value versus Actual Cash Value policies: Ask your insurance professional if your policy provides either Agreed Value (AV) or Actual Cash Value (ACV) coverage. An AV policy means you and your boat’s insurer have agreed on the value of your recreational vessel. In the event of a total loss, you will be paid that amount. ACV coverage is typically less expensive than an AV policy but only pays up to the value of the boat at the time the boat was either lost or damaged. Depreciation and wear and tear are factored into the claim payout’s amount if you have an ACV policy.
- Lay-up period: Make sure your boat is covered during the off-season. Even when a boat isn’t in the water, there is still the risk of property damage. For example, if a major storm hits and a tree falls on your boat, you may be exposed if you are without insurance coverage.
- Navigational territory: Ask your insurance professional if this issue is specifically addressed in your boat insurance policy. If you are navigating the boat in a territory not specified in your policy, you may not be covered if something were to happen there.
Other coverages incorporated into boat insurance policies may include:
- Damage your boat caused to someone else’s property.
- Medical payments for injuries incurred by either the boat’s owner or its passengers.
- Hurricane haul-out provisions to keep the boat out of harm’s way before a windstorm.
- On-water towing and assistance for unexpected breakdowns or running aground.
- Fuel spill liability protection for damages caused by a boat’s accidental discharge.
- Personal effects coverage for expensive equipment (e.g., fishing gear).
- Ice and freeze coverage for damage to a boat’s engine and water systems.
With a basic knowledge of how boat insurance may help protect you, your boat and others, you can set sail knowing you have the best policy in place.
Content Source: Insurance Information Institute (iii.org)
7 Healthy Benefits of Gardening
An abundance of scientific research suggests that caring for plants can also do wonders for your own wellbeing. The physical exercise can contribute to a healthy weight and blood pressure levels, and just interacting with flora can improve your mood and mental health. Below are 7 known health benefits of gardening:
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- Gardening Burns A Lot of Calories: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) you can burn about 330 calories doing 1 hour of light gardening and yard work– more than walking at a moderate pace for the same amount of time.
- It Can Lower Your Blood Pressure: Just 30 minutes of moderate-level physical activity most days of the week can prevent and control high-blood pressure. Gardening or raking leaves for 30-45 minutes is among the activities recommended by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
- Spending Time Outside is Good for Your Bones: When you are outdoors your skin is exposed to the sun which prompts your body to make vitamin D. This vitamin– also found in fish and fortified foods like milk– help your body to absorb calcium, a mineral essential for bone formation according to the National Institute of Health. (Just don’t forget the sunscreen!)
- Growing Your Own Food Can Help You to Eat Healthier: Besides the physical exercise you’ll get tending to a vegetable garden, a productive plot can also promote a better diet by supplying fresh, healthy produce. According to the CDC only 1 in 10 Americans eat the recommended 2 cups of veggies and 1-1/2 cups of fruits per day for necessary nutrients and to reduce risk of chronic disease. Gardening helps to develop a lasting habit of eating fresh produce and the American Society for Horticultural Science theorizes that it may also make it more likely for children to try foods they may not have eaten before.
- Gardening Can Relieve Stress: A 2017 Preventive Medicine Report looked at 22 different case studies that positively correlated gardening with a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms. Some hospitals use planting and flower arranging as a type of rehabilitation for people recovering from injuries, strokes, surgeries and other conditions. It gives a sense of control over a situation when they might otherwise feel helpless– and for most of us, nature provides a respite from stress.
- It Can Provide A Sense of Community: People who worked in allotment gardens had significantly better self-esteem, total mood disturbance, and general health compared to those who did not garden, according to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Public Health.
- Gardening Can Make You Happier: The act of growing plants may also help boost your mood. Gwenn Fried, manager of Horticulture Therapy at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation said: “The thing about gardening is that you have to have faith in the future. Growing something green, something real, something alive, is a hopeful thing to do.”
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So, let’s all roll up our sleeves– there is no better time than Spring 2020 to get digging, planting and weeding!
some content: Good Housekeeping
Focus-Up; Delete Driving Distractions
We have all seen a driver distracted by a cell phone, but when you are the one distracted, you often don’t realize that driver is YOU.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month –now more than ever it is crucial to #JustDrive and eliminate all distractions that might lead to a crash that lands you or others in the E.R.
Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds and at 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
Distracted driving includes any activity that diverts your attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to other passengers, and anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.
Top 10 Driving Distractions
- Generally distracted or “lost in thought”
- Cell phone use
- Outside person, object or event
- Other occupants
- Using a device brought into the car
- Eating or drinking
- Adjusting audio or climate controls
- Using devices or controls to operate the vehicle
- Moving objects
- Smoking-related
Most people think that hands-free devices and in-dash infotainment systems are safe because they are provided by vehicle manufacturers, but research shows that these technologies lead to cognitive distraction and inattention blindness.
Make no mistake multitasking technology is about convenience, not safety.
Delete Distractions
- Turn off electronic devices and put them out of reach before starting to drive
- Adjust your seat, mirrors, climate control, GPS, radio/music playback and click-in your seatbelt before shifting into drive or reverse
- Talk with young drivers about responsible driving and be a good role model
- Speak up when you are a passenger and your driver uses an electronic device while driving—offer to make the call for the driver, so his or her full attention stays on the driving task
- Always wear your seat belt, the best defense against unsafe drivers
Be a focused driver and contact us at 401-846-9629 for a free auto policy review.
We Are Always Here To Help!
Get Lucky & Save Money with Green Insurance
Adopting practices that are known to be safe for the environment—aka “going green”—might also help you save on your insurance costs. Whether you’re considering an eco-friendlier car, a more sustainable home or “green” business practices, check out this sampling of insurance benefits and products for the environmentally conscientious.
Green Insurance Incentives for Motor Vehicles
Fossil fuels deplete our resources and contribute to pollution—and many insurers offer discounts for vehicles that don’t gas guzzle.
- Hybrid vehicle premium discounts are offered by a number of auto insurance companies (and similar discounts may also be available on boat insurance for hybrid-electric boats and yachts).
- Endorsements that allow hybrid replacement—that is, optional coverage whereby, after a total car loss, the insured can replace his or her traditional automobile with a comparable hybrid vehicle.
- Alternative fuel premium discounts, which apply if your car uses an alternative energy source such as biodiesel, electricity, natural gas, hydrogen or ethanol.
- Pay as You Drive (PAYD) programs, which require the installation of a device to track the miles driven in your car. The PAYD offers policy discounts to drivers who, according to their sensor, drive fewer miles than the average—thus saving consumers money while reducing accidents, congestion and air pollution.
Green Insurance for Homes
Insurers are helping to promote sustainable building practices by offering eco-friendly policies to homeowners, which include options such as:
- Premium discounts for LEED certified homes. LEED is short for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System. This system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is a recognized environmental standard in the building world and has high efficiency and sustainability standards.
- Eco-friendly replacement materials endorsements, which are offered on some standard homeowners policies. After a loss, these allow the insured to replace or rebuild with more sustainable materials, practices and products.
For example, some companies will pay homeowners extra if they recycle debris rather than send destroyed materials straight to a landfill, and replace old kilowatt-hungry appliances with Energy Star machines, which meet an energy-savings rating created by a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. - Broad coverage for alternative energy sources. For homeowners who generate their own geothermal, solar or wind power and sell any surplus energy back to the local power grid, there are now policies that cover both the extra expense of temporarily buying electricity from another source and for the income lost during a power outage (as long as the outage is caused by a covered peril). Policies also generally cover the cost of getting back online, such as utility charges for inspection and reconnection.
Green Insurance for Business
There are many green commercial property insurance policies and endorsements directed at specific segments of the business community such as manufacturers. Examples of these include policies that:
- Cover installing “green” building systems and materials to replace the standard ones, after a loss. These eco-friendly replacements would include energy efficient electrical equipment and interior lighting, water conserving plumbing and nontoxic, low odor paints and carpeting.
- Allow “green certified” rebuilding in the event of a total loss. In addition to the building itself, this coverage may pay for engineering inspections of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning systems, building recertification fees, replacement of vegetative or plant covered roofs and debris recycling and loss of income and costs incurred when alternative energy generating equipment is damaged.
Call us at 401-846-9629; to discuss “greening-up” your policies. We’ll look to save you money, and you’ll be helping to save the planet.
Source: Nationwide®
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