Last month, the Greater Champion Neighborhood Association Firewise Committee hosted a gathering and informational session for community members to learn how to get a discount on the Fair Plan, and in doing so, how to better protect their homes from wildfires.
A community effort
The Greater Champion community pulled together to make this event a success. The Willo donated the use of their banquet room for the occasion. Paul Tebbel, an experienced defensible space advisor for the Fire Safe Council, and community member Paul Emery lent audio visual equipment and related expertise for the occasion. Close to 80 neighbors packed in for pizza, community, and answers about the Fair Plan discount.
Local experts shared advice and valuable information
A panel of experts volunteered their time to help participants learn how to “harden” or make changes to protect their homes from wildfire to earn that discount. Tebbel started the discussion with a review of the Fair Plan criteria for the discount, sharing pictures of homes before and after hardening. Conor Farrell, founder of Home Hardening Solutions, a local firm that does home hardening and defensible space clearing, talked about different ways to meet the home hardening criteria. And Stacey Knuedeler shared a valuable and informed perspective as an insurance agent with Farmers Insurance. The panel generated a lively discussion about home hardening techniques, the value of defensible space advisory visits, the most common ways homes catch fire (embers!), and the reasons behind insurance companies pulling out of our area.
Small changes can have a big impact
Getting a 14.5% discount on homeowners insurance may not be worth it to some, but making just a few recommended changes, like covering exterior vents with 1/8 inch mesh, can have a significant impact on protecting our homes and our families. “If this event inspires us all to do just one thing to protect our homes against wildfire, then it was a success,” said Sam Gitchel, chair of the GCNA Firewise committee.
A positive response from the community
Event attendees responded positively in a post-event survey that revealed several different takeaways, many around the value of community. “I was thrilled that so many people were interested in participating. This is the first time such a big interest was demonstrated,” noted one participant. Another was “grateful to have a community.” A third participant enjoyed the “great download from experts and community members.”
GCNA hosted this event to provide an opportunity for people to get to know their neighbors and to help neighborhood residents learn how to harden their homes to get a discount on their homeowners insurance. We are stronger together, and the more each community member does to protect their home, the better protected we all are against wildfire.