A10 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018
NEWS
When wildfire strikes home, preparation can help
By JADE MCDOWELL
STAFF WRITER
Homeowners who lose
their homes to wildfire are
often covered by insurance,
but it helps to know how
that insurance works before
disaster hits.
The NW Insurance
Council, a trade associa-
tion of insurance companies
in the Pacific Northwest, is
recommending that people
take a moment this fire sea-
son to review their insur-
ance policy and discuss it
with their insurance com-
pany or agent to make sure
they have the right coverage
for what they want to cover
— particularly if they have
recently added on to their
home, remodeled or made
other changes that could
affect their policy.
The same applies to busi-
ness owners, and even rent-
ers can be reimbursed for
the loss of their belong-
ings if they have renters
insurance.
LuAnne Davison, a State
Farm insurance agent in
Hermiston, said for stick-
built homes, the typical pol-
icy is a replacement cost
policy that would replace
“like kind and quality” that
had been previously dis-
closed to the insurance
company. If someone adds
HH FILE PHOTO
A brush fire burns near neighborhoods on Joy Lane and Alpine Drive, northeast of Hermiston,
earlier this year.
a room onto their house and
doesn’t update their policy,
they could find themselves
under-covered if something
happens.
After policy holders are
clear on what their pol-
icy covers, NW Insur-
ance Council suggests they
create a complete “home
inventory”
documenting
their possessions through
receipts, photos, videos,
contracts and other items
stored somewhere that will
be accessible after a fire.
Adjusters can settle claims
more quickly with that
documentation.
Davison said people used
to fill out inventory booklets
listing everything in their
home, but these days most
people snap photos with
their smartphones and store
them in the cloud to help
substantiate their claims.
It also helps jog peoples’
memories about exactly
how many shoes, DVDs or
plates they own.
“We tell people to open
their cupboard doors, open
their closets, open their
dresser drawers and take
pictures,” she said. “A pic-
ture is worth $1,000.”
If the worst happens and
your home does burn down
or get damaged by fire, the
sooner you start the claims
process the sooner you can
get the funds you need.
The NW Insurance Coun-
cil suggests contacting an
insurance
representative
as soon as possible to pro-
vide an initial description
of the damage and a phone
number where you can be
reached. Having insurance
policy documents on hand
is helpful but not required to
start a claim.
Most insurance agencies
will offer immediate cash
to help cover basic living
expenses in the aftermath.
When it is safe to do so,
take pictures or videos of
the damaged property.
“Don’t discard anything
that is damaged until it has
been examined by your
adjuster,” the tips suggest.
“You could miss out on cov-
erage for that item.”
The NW Insurance
Council warns against pay-
ing a significant amount for
temporary repairs without
first being authorized by the
insurance adjuster, because
the insurance company
might deem the bill “exces-
sive” and not reimburse it.
Davison noted, how-
ever, that people do have a
responsibility to mitigate
damage. If there is a hole
in their roof, for example,
they’re expected to get that
covered as soon as possible
to prevent rain from coming
in and further damaging the
home.
Contractors and subcon-
tractors are extremely busy
in the Hermiston area and
rates are getting higher, but
Davison said if the insur-
ance company’s claims rep-
resentative and the contrac-
tor have different estimates
of the cost for repairs, the
company will review the
reason for the discrepancy.
The best thing people
can do is prevent their home
from burning down in the
first place, she said. People
should follow recommenda-
tions from fire departments
that include things like
safe storage of flammable
items, clearing brush and
tree branches from around
homes and properly screen-
ing chimneys.
WORSHIP
COMMUNITY
Fire closed Hat Rock State Park Friday
HERMISTON HERALD
Hat Rock Road was
closed Friday afternoon as
fire crews battled a blaze
that started at the intersec-
tion of Highway 730 and
Highway 207, then moved
toward Hat Rock State Park.
“Right now the winds are
favorable, but if they shift,
we’ve talked about it going
into the trailer park,” Uma-
tilla County Fire District
Battalion Chief Corey Gor-
ham said, adding that peo-
ple there have been told to
be ready to evacuate. Luck-
ily, crews were able to get
the fire contained with-
out any evacuations. But
the park’s only road being
blocked caused some anxi-
ety for residents.
Hat Rock resident John
Rodriguez arrived from
work and discovered he
couldn’t get to his house.
“Nobody’s home, but I
have pets,” he said. “I’m
STAFF PHOTO BY JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
Flames devour brush near Hat Rock State Park on Friday
afternoon.
worried about them.”
Highway
730
was
blocked intermittently after
the fire began about 11:30
a.m. Crews from Umatilla
County Fire District, Uma-
tilla, Echo, Boardman and
Imagine The Difference You Can Make
Irrigon were among those
responding. The cause of the
fire is under investigation.
Area firefighters also
responded to a number of
other brush fires in the area
last week, including pro-
viding mutual aid to North
Gilliam Rural Fire Protec-
tion District for a fire out-
side of Arlington sparked
by a burning wind turbine,
according to Chief Joe
Claughton.
Claughton said he’s seen
about “half a dozen” wind
turbine fires over the years,
but this is the first one he
saw that sparked a grass fire.
“They’re usually elec-
trical fires,” he said. “Usu-
ally they go out after closing
the door and letting them
smother out.”
He said usually fire
departments from Sherman
and Wasco counties to the
west would help instead of
those from Umatilla and
Morrow counties, but they
were busy with multiple
fires of their own, including
the South Valley fire near
Dufur.
“With all they have
going on, I didn’t even ask
that direction,” he said.
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Our Roots
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Having
Bushels
in Morrow
Morrow
County”
in
County
FUN
in Morrow
County”
County
August
2017
August
16-20, 2018
2017
August 16-20,
15-19,
Wednesday 15th 6 6
Reptile
Man & Houses
Z 6
OMSI
- Bounce
Reptile
Man
&
Z Z
Scarecrow
Contest
Reptile
Man
&
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Scarecrow
Contest
Scarecrow
Contest
Lindy
Gravelle
4-H Food Contest
4-H/FFA Small Animal
Showmanship
4-H/FFA Livestock
Judging
4-H Fashion Revue
RDO Tractor Pull
Trevor Tagle
Dinner
by Paradise
Ice Cream
Social
Rose Archery
Chuckwagon
Shoot
Fair: co.morrow.or.us
www.co.morrow.or.us/fair
co.morrow.or.us
co.morrow.or.us
8
Thursday 16th
Friday 17th
Saturday 18th
8 8
Reptile
Man
&
Zone
Reptile
Man
&
OMSI
-
Bounce
Houses
OMSI
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Bounce
Houses
OMSI - Bounce Houses
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&
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Zone
Reptile
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Man & &
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Arcades Man &
- Arcades
4-H/FFA
- Arcades
4-H/FFA
Talent Show
Ballet
Performance 4-7 yrs.
Parade
4-H/FFA
Showmanship
4-H/FFA
4-H/FFA Conformation
Ballet
Performance
yrs.
FFA
Awards
Tillamook Ice Cream
Ballet
Performance 4-7
4-7
yrs.
Pee~Wee
Showmanship
4-H/FFA
4-H/FFA Conformation
Conformation Master
Adult Showmanship
Showmanship Greased
Pig Luncheon
Buyers
Social
Contest
Livestock
Adult
Showmanship
Greased
Pig
FFA Floral Design
Adult
Showmanship
Greased Auction
Pig
Frappes
& Flowers
w/
OTPR/Ranch
Rodeo
Contest
4-H/FFA Conformation
Murray’s
Country
Rose
Contest
Music by: Dan Burns 3D Productions
Judging
Murray’s Wine Tasting
Featuring:
Joe Lindsay
Nate Botsford
Ice
Ice Cream
Cream Social
Social
Cory Archery
Peterson Band
Archery Shoot
Shoot
Lindy Gravelle
Music after rodeo by:
19th
Greased Pig Contest
Dan Productions
Burns 3D Productions
Music
by:
Dan
Burns
Reptile
Man
&
Music by:
Dan Burns 3D
3D Productions
Chili Cook-Off
Contest
19th
19th
OTPR/Ranch Rodeo
Sunday 19th
Reptile Man
& &
Man by:
Music Reptile
after rodeo
All Exhibits Released
Dan
Burns
Productions
Morrow County Rodeo
Music
by: 3D
Dan
Burns 3D Productions
0th
Dan Burns 3D
Music
by:
Productions
Music
by: Dan
Dan Burns
Burns 3D
3D Productions
Productions
th
0 0 th
Cory
Cory Peterson
Peterson Band
Band
Fair Admission: Ages 8 & Up $4 daily or $10 week
7 & under FREE (must be with Adult)
Fair Admission:
Rodeo Admission: 13 & up $10
Ages 8 & Up $4 Daily or
7-12 yrs. $6
Fair
daily
or
$10
Week
7 & Under FREE
6 & under Ages
FREE
Fair Admission:
Admission:
Ages 8 8 & & Up
Up $4
$4
daily
or $10
$10 • week
week
Trevor Tagle
THANK YOU TO ALL
OUR SPONSORS!
be
with
7 7 & & under
FREE
be
with
under (must
FREE (must
(must
be Adult)
with Adult)
Adult)
Rodeo
Rodeo Admission:
Admission: 13
13 & & up
up $10
$10
Rodeo Admission:
7-12
$6
7-12 yrs.
yrs.
$6
13 & Up $10 • 7-12 Yrs. $6
Paradise
Rose
6 6 & & under
Nate Botsford
under FREE
FREE
Chuckwagon
DAILY MASS:
Monday-Friday .......................................... English 7:00 am
Thursday ....................................................Spanish 6:00 pm
SATURDAY: .............................................. English 5:00 pm
....................................................................Spanish 7:00 pm
SUNDAY:................................................... English 9:00 am
................................................................Bilingual 11:00 am
....................................................................Spanish 1:00 pm
Offi ce ..................................................................... 567-5812
First Christian
Church
“Proclaiming the Message of
Hope, Living the Gospel of Love”
6 & Under FREE
www.facebook.com/oregontrailprorodeo
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LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Pastor David Dever
567-3013
Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am
Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
www.hermistonlmbc.com
Worship Gathering 10:00 am
Children’s Church 10:00 am
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Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
Worship Service 10:30 AM
Sunday School 9:00 AM
Pastor J.C. Barnett
Children’s Church &
Nursery Available
700 West Orchard Avenue
P.O. Box 933
Hermiston, Oregon
541-567-8441
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
Saturdays
Sabbath School........9:30 a.m.
Worship Service......11:00 a.m.
English & Spanish Services
567-8241
Hermiston Jr. Academy
1300 NW Academy Lane, • Hermiston
The Full Gospel
Home Church
235 SW 3rd
Phone 567-7678
Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker
Sunday:
Sunday School........10:00 am
Worship...................11:00 am
Evening Service........7:00 pm
Wednesday Service..7:00 pm
“Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.”
1 Pet. 5:7
First United
Methodist
Church
Hermiston
191 E. Gladys Ave , Hermiston OR
Sunday Worship 11am • 541-567-3002
Nursery available Check us out on Face Book
Worship Livestream at herfumc.com
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor
Grace Baptist Church
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Nursery provided for all services
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 PM
Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
On Our Journey
With Jesus.
Scripture, Tradition and Reason
Family service 9am Sunday
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
t. PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church
who welcomes all.
1520 W ORCHARD AVE
Sunday Worship Service
10:30 am Classes for Kids @ 9:15 am
SEEKING JESUS, SHARING LIFE,
SERVING PEOPLE
www.hermistonnazarene.org
To share your
worship times call
541-278-2678