FYI: September is National Preparedness Month!

Did you know September is National Preparedness Month? Our friends at Allstate made us aware that September was national Preparedness Month. I don't think this could've come at a better time. New Jersey, especially the northern portions, have been hit hard, especially recently by flooding and storms and all of the damage that goes along with those types of disasters.

With that being said, I'm sure I don't need to spend a lot of time explaining why it's so important to be prepared for natural disasters or emergencies well before they happen. Many of us in New Jersey learned that first hand this past summer. So, in honor of this National Preparedness Month, I'll leave you with a list of ideas for being prepared for natural disaster.

- Create a family preparedness kit: Put together a container filled with items you may need in case of a natural disaster. You should include water, batteries, a flashlight, a radio, first aid kit, canned food, etc. Make sure everyone in your family knows where to find it.

- Keep good records: Take a video of your home's condition and that of furniture and other possessions. This may seem silly, but it's a great way to document the prior condition of your home and possessions for your insurance agency.

- Practice evacuation: This is especially important when it comes to flooding and fires. If you live in an area prone to either, meet with you family and practice your routine for evacuation this month.

What is your family doing to prepare for the unforseen this September? Let us know by commenting below!

Paul Davis Restoration Attends NJ FMBA Convention

We just got back from a very exciting three days. We took a bit of a road trip down the Garden State Parkway onto the beautiful shores of Atlantic City, NJ for the annual NJ Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association Convention. From Tuesday through Thursday we spent time meeting and greeting and learning from the brave men and women who are some of the first on the scene for the emergencies in the homes we restore.

The convention was three packed days of informational and educational meetings and talks at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. Paul Davis Restoration also had the privilege of sponsoring the political fundraiser for FMBA endorsed senate candidate David Deweese.

We attended the trade show and really enjoyed the opportunity to network with all of those associated with the fire departments. It was great to talk about their experiences, get to know them, and let them know what Paul Davis Restoration of Northeast NJ has to offer them. We can't wait to go back next year!

Fall CE Class Schedule

If you're an insurance agent located in the northeastern NJ area, we have a great opportunity for you! If you haven't yet attended one of our continuing education courses, this is definitely info you don't want to miss!

This Fall, we have a number of great continuing education classes planned. Just like always, each class will be offered both in the morning, from 9AM- 12PM and in the afternoon from 1PM-4PM. The morning session will include a delicious breakfast and the afternoon session will include a great lunch spread. Our Fall events are as follows:

Tuesday Sept 20th- Ethics #88890302
Ethics is a mandatory course for license renewal for all NJ insurance agents*

Wed October 12th- Employers and Employees in the Insurance Industry #88890557

Wed Oct 26th- Identity Theft #88890753

Come check out our continuing education courses! All courses are completely free of charge. They provide a great opportunity to take a break from the office, gain some professional education and network with other industry professionals! Space is limited and going quickly, email dholm@pdr-usa.net to reserve your spot today!

More Rain This Week: More Storm Safety Ideas

We've been working like crazy trying to tend to all our clients who need cleanup after Hurricane Irene. What's making cleaning up Irene's mess difficult is the amount of rain that we got this past week.

Just as water was starting to recede and flood levels were going down enough to allow for some reconstruction to begin, Northeastern NJ got hit with even more heavy rain. Since many of you are probably dealing with flooding again, we thought we'd give you some things to keep in mind, as far as safety goes, even though Irene is long past us....

• Stay away from any fallen wires, you can't assume that they aren't live.
• Report any power outages
• If you smell gas, report it immediately to authorities, Pompton Lakes, NJ had a home explosion last week because of a gas leak.
• Make sure not to run your generator inside, it can fill your house with carbon monoxide, which can be deadly.
• On the same note, leave generator fuel outside
• Make sure to get rid of any food that came into contact with water because of the floods.
• It is not safe to pump out too much basement water at a time, this could cause the walls to collapse. Only pump out about 1/3 of the water per day.
• Make sure to disinfect anything that has come into contact with flood waters, it could be carrying bacteria.
• Take pictures of all damage and record the cost of any cleanup efforts so you have records for your insurance company.
• Keep in close contact with your insurance agent.

If you incurred further damage because of the rain this past week, or hurricane Irene, please do not hesitate to call the experts at Paul Davis Restoration. Hiring a professional contracting and restoration company is the best chance at safely, quickly and conveniently restoring your home to its previous condition.

Paul Davis of NENJ: Hard at Work After Irene

Here at Paul Davis Restoration of Northeast NJ, responding to emergency situations and helping to return your home to its previous condition is our specialty.

Ever since hurricane Irene hit the North Jersey area a little over a week ago, we have been working around the clock to respond to inquiries and help restore properties damaged by the storm.

We've taken a number of steps in order to better prepare ourselves to serve the victims of this terrible storm. First, our entire team has come together to support each other in various roles. Everyone is doing their part to help get responses and teams out to clients as quickly as possible, so they may restore their property asap.

We've also ordered a whole bunch of additional equipment so that we are even better prepared to serve you.



We've been working to get out to sites quickly and get projects started immediately so that those affected by Irene may return to their homes with as little disruption as possible.

We pride ourselves on having an exceptional staff that will help you return your home to its previous condition, quickly and conveniently, in order to make dealing with an emergency as smooth as possible for you and your family.

We extend our deepest sympathies to anyone who has been affected by Hurricane Irene and the impact it had on Northeast NJ this past weekend.

We have also worked to make an abundance of information on hurricane cleanup and safety readily available through our blog and Facebook pages.

If you have been impacted by Hurricane Irene and need help or support in your clean up and restoration efforts, please contact our offices at (201)- 689-8073

Free Opportunity For Insurance Agents!

I hope everyone is breathing easier as we approach a long weekend and the end of what I'm sure in our industry was an insanely busy week.

We just wanted to take a minute to remind you all that Paul Davis Restoration of Northeast NJ will be offering a free opportunity for all local insurance agents to complete their continuing education course requirements.

On Tuesday, September 20, 2011 we will be offering the Ethics course #88890302. This course is a mandatory requirement for all insurance agents who need to renew their licenses. The course will be free of charge and will be held at Paul Davis Restoration of Northeast NJ's beautiful facility located at 6 William Demarest Place in Waldwick, NJ. Just like all of our CE classes for NJ insurance agents, it will be offered at two separate times. The morning session will begin at 9AM and end at 12PM. The afternoon session will begin at 1PM and end at 4PM. Breakfast and lunch will be served at each of the sessions respectively.

This is a great opportunity to meet other industry professionals, complete a mandatory licensing requirement and gain valuable insight and information on the industry. Space is limited, so please contact Desiree Holm, dholm@pdr-usa.net in order to reserve your spot today!