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October 8, 2008 started out like any other typical morning for Greg Sherwood of Portland, OR. He was preparing breakfast when he looked up and saw his neighbor, Kathy Hendrickson’s, home rushing towards him down the hillside. Greg was not the only one to notice this unfortunate event–evident by the rush of 9-1-1 phone calls that came into the local emergency dispatch office.

Several residents of Dundalk in Baltimore County were rescued recently when flood waters trapped them inside their homes. The cause of the flood was not due to bad weather. Rather, it was caused by a break in a 6-foot-wide water main. USA Today reports about 100 homes and several businesses were damaged by the flood waters that were sometimes “chest-deep”. Many roads were also damaged by the high waters. Although many people had to be rescued, no one was injured.

A historic home on Guyler Street in Ringgold, Tenn. caught fire earlier this week. Catoosa fire fighters quickly jumped into action and saved the home from being completely destroyed. Experts guess the fire started in the attic or on the roof, which were being renovated.

How savvy are you about document recovery? For example, did you know that laying documents in the sun to dry can actually cause more damage in the end? Joe Perko, director of field services at Polygon, debunks many of the myths surrounding document restoration in an article for Claims magazine this week.

Think you don’t need to include document drying and recovery into your disaster plan? Think again. Although this is a topic many aren’t concerned with, not planning document recovery or book drying into an emergency disaster plan may be regrettable.