COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL August 10, 2016
9A
Are you ready?
D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS
Warning signs of
disaster scams
When natural disasters strike,
many people immediately ask
what they can do to help. Some
may volunteer at disaster sites,
while others may offer fi nancial
donations from afar.
While donors’ efforts are al-
ways sincere, some of the peo-
ple soliciting those donations
may be anything but. The Inter-
net and smartphones have made
it easier for criminals to defraud
well-intentioned men and wom-
en who simply want to help at
a time when that help is sorely
needed. Fraudulent websites,
bulk email solicitations and tex-
ting scams that encourage dona-
tions are each means by which
criminals take advantage of
conscientious donors.
As eager as prospective do-
nors may be to lend a fi nancial
hand when disaster strikes, it’s
important to take the time to
confi rm that an organization is
legitimate and not an operation
organized by fraudsters looking
to make a fast buck. The follow-
ing are a handful of red fl ags
that may indicate an organiza-
tion seeking fi nancial donations
in the wake of a disaster is not
what it says it is.
• Demands: Legitimate orga-
nizations will never make de-
mands of prospective donors, so
men and women should be wary
of organizations that solicit on-
the-spot donations. Reputable
organizations, such as the Red
Cross, have enough resources
to respond to natural disasters
without demanding immediate
action from donors.
• Hesitancy to share informa-
tion: Reputable organizations
are transparent with regard to
sharing information about their
programs, relief efforts and allo-
cation of donations. If solicited
by an organization that seems
hesitant to share information
about itself, donors should po-
litely hang up the phone or walk
away.
• Request for personal infor-
mation: Some scammers will
attempt to gather personal in-
formation, including social se-
curity numbers and credit card
numbers, over the phone. Never
share your social security num-
ber with anyone, and keep in
mind that the majority of chari-
ties can now accept donations
online, removing the need to
share credit card information
over the phone. Stop speaking
with solicitors who continue to
ask for personal information.
• Checks: Some scammers
will request that donors make
donation checks out to fundrais-
ers and not an actual organiza-
tion. When making a donation
to charity, make the check pay-
able to an organization and not
an event. Confi rm the organiza-
tion is legitimate by visiting its
website.
• Name: Many fraudsters go
to great lengths to defraud well-
intentioned men and women.
Some even establish fake or-
ganizations and websites with
names that sound very similar
to legitimate charities. Such
websites may be linked through
fraudulent email solicitations,
and they are often designed to
mimic the websites of legitimate
organizations. Never donate via
links in emails. Instead, type the
name of a charity into a search
engine, confi rming it’s the actu-
al charity you wish to work with
and not a fraudulent entity with
a very similar name.
Donating in the wake of a
natural disaster is a thoughtful
gesture. But donors must be on
the lookout for scammers look-
ing to take advantage of their
generosity.
Home-Building Innovation: Ask your builder about disas-
ter-resilient construction
Today, given the frequency
of natural disasters such as hur-
ricanes, tornadoes, fi res, earth-
quakes, and fl oods, it’s a “must”
to build the most durable homes
possible. Wood-framed walls,
for example, are not always reli-
able, whereas walls constructed
with reinforced concrete have
proven to withstand some of
Mother Nature’s worst perfor-
mances.
“Building with concrete, or
more specifi cally with preas-
sembled, insulated concrete
forms known as ICFs, has been
protecting houses from various
disasters for more than a decade
now,” says Todd Blyth at Nudu-
ra, a leading name in this fi eld.
It also delivers superior energy
effi ciency to lower heating and
cooling costs substantially.”
Once built, a concrete home
withstands high winds, fi re and
fl ash fl oods, but it also with-
stands the test of time, says
Blyth.
“These rock solid walls deliv-
er impact-resistance from wind
as high as 402 kilometers per
hour. This comes from a steel
reinforced core, ranging from
10 to 28 centimeters of concrete
to stand between you and the el-
ements.
“The superior insulation prop-
erty of concrete is giving hom-
eowners up to 70 percent sav-
ings on monthly energy bills,”
he continues. “The rock solid
core vastly reduces air infi ltra-
tion, delivering effi ciency rat-
ings as high as R-50 due to the
thermal mass of the concrete,
compared to an average R-20 in
wood structures. You can also
add optional inserts to the ICF
forms to improve this effi ciency
even more.”
Concrete is responsible
This building system is based
on sustainable and recycled ma-
terials, reducing the need for
trees. In addition, the construc-
tion process creates less waste
than traditional methods and the
occupants use fewer fossil fuels
for a much smaller carbon foot-
print.
But even with this commit-
ment to responsibility, there is
no trade-off on any of the beau-
ty aspects and aesthetics, says
Blyth.
“Your home can have all
of the creative architectural
shapes, like arches and bay
windows, and high ceilings can
be achieved,” says Blyth. “Out-
doors, the home can be fi nished
with attractive brick, or with
stone, stucco, wood, or vinyl
siding.”
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HOURS:
T HURSDAY , F RIDAY & S ATURDAY
10 AM -4 PM
For Drop-off appointments,
after hours, call the offi ce
We need volunteers for the
ReStore ~ a few hours
each month! Will you help?
Habitat Offi ce and Warehouse
2155 Getty Circle ~ Unit #1
in the Cottage Grove Industrial Park
South on Hwy 99 past the High School
NS
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N
DO
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ALWAY !
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C
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Call 541.767.0358
for more information
Email
info@habitatcg.org
Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster.
• Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions.
• Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home.
• Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster.
For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center.
South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506
Twitter: @southlanei re
Facebook: southlanecountyi reandrescue