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October 12,
2006
FORTIFY
FLORIDA TO SHOW HOMEOWNERS HOW TO
HURRICANE-HARDEN THEIR HOMES
Palm Beach Prepares! to feature free
hurricane home improvement workshops
TALLAHASSEE
– Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom
Gallagher today released an agenda for “Fortify
Florida:
Palm
Beach Prepares!”
that offers homeowners several
opportunities to learn ways they can
hurricane-harden their homes and find
out if they are eligible for reduced
insurance rates.
The event, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
Saturday, October 14, at the Florida
Atlantic University Arena at 777 Glades
Road in Boca Raton, is free to the
public. It features more than 50
exhibitors and 11 workshops to help
homeowners learn about construction
measures that make homes safer against
hurricanes, and for which they may be
eligible for insurance premium
discounts.
“We want Florida residents to arrive
with questions and leave with answers
about how their homes can be safer
against hurricanes,” said Gallagher, who
oversees the Florida Department of
Financial Services. “This expo brings
together under one roof the experts and
resources Floridians need to take charge
of their hurricane home safety.”
“Fortify
Florida” expos are being
coordinated as a partnership of the
Florida Department of Financial
Services, the Office of Insurance
Regulation and the Executive Office of
the Governor. The
Palm Beach Prepares!
event is being co-hosted by Florida
Atlantic University and Florida Power &
Light.
Attendees
can also apply for the new My Safe
Florida Home program administered by the
Florida Department of Financial Services
(DFS) to protect Floridians and assist
them in making their homes safer against
hurricanes. DFS staff will be available
to assist expo participants who want to
apply for My Safe Florida Home free
inspections. In addition, many vendors
have donated items related to hurricane
safety and home improvement, including
NOAA weather radios, emergency kits,
hurricane preparation items and gift
certificates.
In addition to presentations about the
My Safe Florida Home program, workshops
will be conducted on ways to improve
your home’s hurricane safety, detailed
in the following agenda.
Representatives for several insurance
companies will also be on hand to talk
to their policyholders and determine
whether they are eligible for premium
discounts available for specific
construction measures shown to reduce
hurricane damage.
For more information on this event and
to learn the steps you can take to make
your home more hurricane-resistant,
visit the My Safe Florida Home website
at
www.mysafefloridahome.com.
An
agenda of the event workshops follows:
FORTIFY
FLORIDA –
Palm Beach Prepares!
10 a.m. - 4
p.m., Saturday, October 14, 2006
Florida Atlantic University Arena
Main
Stage
10:30
a.m. Welcome and Acknowledgements
The
Honorable Steven Abrams, Mayor of Boca
Raton
Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty,
State of Florida
The Honorable Clay Shaw, United States
House of Representatives
The Honorable Mike Arts, Boca Raton City
Councilmember
The Honorable Adam Hasner, Florida House
of Representatives
he Honorable Anne Gannon, Florida House
of Representatives
Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL)
Workshops – Breakout Room
11:00 a.m.
“1st Anniversary of Hurricane Wilma”
Chuck Tear, Director of Palm Beach
County Division of Emergency Management
11:20
a.m.
“Hurricanes”
Steve Weagle, Chief
Meteorologist, WPTV Channel
5
11:40 a.m.
“Selecting a Licensed Contractor”
Kristen Ploska, Florida
Department of Business and Professional
Regulation
12:00
p.m.
“City Permit Approval Process for
Mitigation”
Mike Berkman, Chief Code
Administrator, City of Boca Raton
Building Code Administration
12:30
p.m.
“Condominium Ombudsman Program”
Bill and Susan Raphan,
Florida Department of Business and
Professional Regulation
1:00
p.m.
“Fortifying Your Home Against Hurricane
Damage”
Dr. Bob Stroh, Director,
Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing,
University of Florida
1:30
p.m.
“Precautions About Mold in the Home”
Don Smith, Environmental
Specialist, Palm Beach County Health
Department
2:00
p.m.
“Over the Roof Protection”
Michael Murray and Meridith
Anzulis, Storm Watch
2:30
p.m.
“Hurricane Shutters”
Nicole Sibers and David
Comisar, Harbor Home Improvements
3:00
p.m.
“Hardening the Electric Infrastructure”
Florida Power & Light Company
(FPL)
3:30
p.m.
“How to Deal with a Mold Insurance
Claim”
Holly Bailey, Building
Environmental Consultants, Inc.
**The Home
Depot will offer how-to demonstrations
at their booth throughout the day.
*Beginning at 11:00 a.m., door prizes
will be awarded every half hour on the
hour.
You
must be present to win.
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