In addition, the nonprofit reports that, as of October 13 of this year, more than 6.9 million acres of land have burned from wildfires.
Don Wilkerson, CPM庐, an 乐竞体育赛事直播 past president and this year鈥檚 乐竞体育赛事直播 representative to the National Association of REALTORS庐, also serves on NAR鈥檚 Insurance Committee and Disaster Insurance Task Force. He urges property managers to perform a thorough risk assessment and do so with the assistance of their insurers and lawyers.
Developing close working relationships with both of those entities (as well as with local fire and police authorities) will go far to ensure you are doing all that you can to protect your tenants, your residents, your ownership, and, of course, your property. 鈥淚 encourage our people to accompany fire and insurance inspectors when they do their tours,鈥� says the CEO of Gaston & Wilkerson in Reno, NV. 鈥淚鈥檓 not an expert. But I know where to go for expert advice.鈥�
Through such interactions, 鈥淵ou can see where they鈥檙e coming from, and you can get a better understanding of the issues you鈥檙e facing.鈥� He reminds 乐竞体育赛事直播 members that insurance firms can report their findings to your lenders, a red flag 鈥渋f you decide not to take proper care of your property.鈥�
And of course, 鈥淚t鈥檚 incumbent upon property managers to take preventive measures seriously.鈥� This encompasses chores such as inspecting fire extinguishers, landscaping and trash storage (鈥渆specially after someone moves in or vacates,鈥� he says) to ensure that access and egress points are clear. 鈥淭hese are all part of our essential duties.鈥�
He also points to ongoing education, certainly through 乐竞体育赛事直播 and NAR, and in particular to two toolkits produced by NAR: and .听
鈥淔lood Factor has determined that there are 235 million properties that are subject to some form of risk,鈥� says Wilkerson. And remember, the damage can come not just from the likes of a Hurricane Ian, but as well from extreme rainfalls.
This underscores the need for your research to go beyond the flood zone mapping traditionally created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 鈥淭hat mapping isn鈥檛 the be-all and end-all,鈥� says Wilkerson, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 often out of date. Our members need to be aware that just because you鈥檙e not in a FEMA flood zone, you might have flood implications that you should let your owners and tenants know about.鈥�
Insurance protections here come with a Catch-22, he says. Where you need the coverage, it鈥檚 often more expensive than if you鈥檙e out of a flood zone, where it鈥檚 usually much more affordable.
Wilkerson says that 乐竞体育赛事直播 and NAR are working together on research to lower the costs of sufficient coverage for property owners and managers.
Turning to wildfires, 鈥淔ire Factor has estimated that about one in five houses in the US are at risk of damage by wildfires sometime in the next 30 years,鈥� he continues.听
Both Factor toolkits will benefit users by exploring the area risks of flood and fire, and arm members with facts that can help in discussions with all stakeholders. Both Factors also serve as gateways to broader information about each environmental threat, such as the , which provides what Wilkerson calls the 鈥渕ost comprehensive risk assessments鈥� of both fire and flood.
In terms of other sources, 鈥淭he National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is perhaps the most authoritative source on wildfires in the US,鈥� he says, and he points to Firewise, the NFPA鈥檚 certification program. 鈥淭he NFPA also offers many statistics and best-practice guides broken out by property type and occupancy. He urges readers to search the NFPA for 鈥渂uilding and life safety.鈥�
Other go-to sources for Wilkerson are:
- NAA鈥檚 鈥溾�
- Mynd鈥檚 鈥溾�
- Multi-Housing News鈥� 鈥溾�
Diligence in disaster prevention, no matter the threat, is a multi-tiered consideration. It involves the input of experts such as local fire authorities, your insurance carrier, and legal professionals. It involves taking full advantage of the documents and toolkits provided by industry associations such as 乐竞体育赛事直播 and NAR.
It demands a proactive approach on the part of all property managers. And, perhaps most important, this includes the all-important need for communication. 鈥淏eing fully transparent with your ownership clients, your tenants and your residents will ensure trust and confidence for all stakeholders,鈥� Wilkerson concludes.