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DisasterSafety.org Press Releases
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• IBHS Warns: Hurricane Ike Is Much Stronger Than It Appears
  TAMPA The Institute for Business & Home Safety is warning residents not to underestimate the impact Hurricane Ike will have on the Texas coast.
  
  According to Dr. Tim Reinhold, IBHS Chief Engineer and Senior Vice President of Research, The total kinetic energy in this storm is about the same as Hurricane Katrina at its peak.  People must understand that the Category 2 rating is a measurement of the storms wind speed.  As of 2:30 pm CDT, this hurricanes storm surge potential is a 5.1 on a scale with a maximum of 6.0 which means it is in the same league as Katrina was at landfall.
  
  These kinetic energy calculations come from the Wind and Surge Destructive Potential classification that associates a numerical value similar to the Saffir-Simpson scale to each storm, and reflects potential damage due to wind, storm surge, and waves.
  
  This scale was developed by Mark Powell, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research meteorologist, and Dr. Reinhold. Powell and Reinhold theorized that assigning a numerical value to storms that represent more than the sustained maximum wind speed would have great benefit. This incorporates other physical characteristics of the hurricane such as the overall size of the storm and the area affected by winds exceeding certain threshold values.
  
  By incorporating both size and intensity, I see this system as a better way to allow people to assess the true potential impact of an approaching storm, said Powell. If people knew that Katrina had a much higher damage potential than Camille, the Mississippi residents who chose to stay might have evacuated.
  
  Added Reinhold, People who decide to leave or stay in response to a hurricane warning make decisions based on perceived vulnerability, and past hurricane experience is one of several influences on this perception. They need to understand the full force of the impact Hurricane Ike will bring and evacuate coastal Texas now.
  
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  IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization supported by the property insurance industry.  The organization works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other risks to residential and commercial property by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.
   
• IBHS Urges Americans to Get Ready During National Preparedness Month (NPM)
  

  5th Annual NPM Asks Americans to Take Steps to Prepare

  
  TAMPA The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is proud to be participating in the 5th Annual National Preparedness Month (NPM), sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Ready Campaign. NPM is a nationwide effort to increase awareness and encourage individuals and communities to prepare for emergencies.

  This year, the Ready Campaign encourages Americans to take simple steps to prepare including: Get a Kit; Make a Plan; Be Informed about the different types of emergencies and their appropriate responses; and Get Involved.

  To help people determine what natural disasters their home or business faces and how to protect against those hazards, the IBHS Web site http://www.disastersafety.org/ offers a ZIP code tool that will generate a list of risks at that location. Property protection projects are provided to help minimize the impact of natural events such as windstorms, flooding, earthquakes, wildfires, severe winter weather and hailstorms. There is also a video gallery with examples showing how to perform many of these relatively easy tasks, and disaster planning resources for small businesses.

  Knowing what to do in an emergency whether it is manmade or natural is a critical part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count, said IBHS President and CEO Julie Rochman. Today is a heartrending anniversary for Americans, and we must continue to learn how to become more resilient as a nation.

  It is our mission at IBHS to provide home and business owners with proven ways to minimize risk and protect their property from any type of disaster, Rochman continued. IBHS is proud to work with DHS and all the members of the National Preparedness Month 2008 Coalition to help ensure Americans are ready when the next disaster strikes.

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  About The Ready Campaign

  February 2008 marked the Ready Campaign's fifth year at the Department of Homeland Security. Launched in 2003 in partnership with The Advertising Council, Ready is designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. It has proven to be one of the most successful campaigns in Ad Council's more than 60-year history. Individuals interested in more information about family, business and community preparedness can visit ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY.

  About IBHS

  IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization supported by the property insurance industry. The organization works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other risks to residential and commercial property by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices. For more information visit DisasterSafety.org or call toll free 1 (866) 657-4247.

• Erie Insurance Sponsors New Habitat for Humanity Fortified...for safer living® Home
  

  New Erie Insurance-Sponsored Habitat for Humanity Home First in Commonwealth to Earn National Disaster-Resistant Designation

  ERIE, PA Erie Insurance and the Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity are partnering to build a new home that will earn the Institute for Business & Home Safety's (IBHS) Fortifiedfor safer living® designation for disaster resistance.

  The three-bedroom one-bath home under construction on East 3rd Street will be the first Fortified home in Pennsylvania.

  Fortifiedfor safer living® is the new-home construction designation program sponsored by IBHS, of which Erie Insurance is a founding member. The standards of the Fortified program go beyond building code requirements to increase a home's overall resistance to natural hazards based on its location. The program recently added requirements that reduce the risk of potentially costly problems inside the home, such as water leaks and fire.

  This is Erie Insurance's third Habitat house and we're pleased to go the extra mile to make it the first Fortified home in the state, said Terry Cavanaugh, Erie Insurance president and CEO. The Fortified program matches up perfectly with Erie Insurance's commitment to safety and security - among our customers as well as the communities in which we live and work.

  In Pennsylvania, Fortified guidelines are designed to better safeguard homes primarily against high winds and severe winter weather. Construction features in the Erie Habitat home include:

  • Stronger connections tying the roof, walls and foundation together, to help the home withstand 110 mile per hour wind speeds;
  • Upgraded roofing materials, including ring shank nails, a secondary water barrier and shingles rated for 110 miles per hour; and
  • A heat sensor alarm in the kitchen.

  We're excited that Erie Insurance initiated earning the Fortified designation, said Nancy Milkowski, executive director of Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity.

  IBHS launched the Fortifiedfor safer living® program in October 2000. When this Habitat house is complete, there will be Fortified homes in 14 states.

  For more information on the Fortified program click here.

• Most Gulf Coast Structures Not Safer Today Than They Were Three Years Ago, IBHS Says
  

  Homeowners can and should take loss reduction steps this weekend

  TAMPA In the three years since Hurricane Katrina, some Gulf Coast states have taken much-needed steps to make communities safer. However, as residents in the same vulnerable areas watch Tropical Storm Gustav take aim, it is critical that people understand what has yet to be done and what they need to do right now.

  The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), an independent research and communications organization funded by the property insurance industry, in general advises a two-track loss prevention approach: 1) making existing structures more durable; and, 2) implementing strong building codes for new construction.

  We need to talk about these things, not just when a storm is staring us in the face, and certa