My Safe Florida Home

TALLAHASSEE— Alex Sink, Florida’s chief financial officer, today announced that free courses will be offered to licensed contractors who are interested in participating in the My Safe Florida Home program. The four-hour course will teach contractors the techniques and standards for effective wind-resistant retrofit improvements.

“Our mission is to strengthen homes in Florida against the devastating effects of storm damage,” said Sink, who oversees the Department of Financial Services. “Contractors who participate in this program will play a key role in better protecting families and properties from catastrophic losses.”

Prior to participating in the program, a contractor must have a valid contractor’s license and complete a four-hour course on techniques and standards for effective wind-resistant retrofit improvements. The Department of Financial Services has been working with the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) to offer these courses around the state, and upcoming contractor trainings have been scheduled in the following areas:

•January 23 in Tallahassee – Kelly Training Center, 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.

•January 25 in Orlando – Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd.

•February 5 in St. Petersburg – All Children’s Hospital, 701 4th Street South.

•February 6 in Naples – Comfort Inn and Suites, 3860 Tollgate Blvd.

•February 7 in Hollywood – Hillcrest Golf and Country Club, 4600 Hillcrest Drive.

All contractor trainings will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 12 p.m. For additional details, log on to www.flash.org.

Homeowners who have undergone free home inspections through the My Safe Florida Home program and live in high-risk areas will be able to apply for matching grants of up to $5,000. The grant funds must be used to implement improvements specified in the inspection reports, and homeowners will be required to use a participating contractor. The list of participating contractors, organized by county and type of work performed, will be available on-line at www.mysafefloridahome.com.

Sink urges all homeowners interested in making home-hardening improvements to verify that the contractors they are doing business with are licensed. For more tips on how to choose a contractor log on to www.mysafefloridahome.com and click on “5 Tips for Choosing a Contractor.”