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The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 each year. This is when oceanic conditions are right for hurricane creation. Back in April, we reviewed scientists’ predictions that 2012 would be a calm year for hurricanes. As it turns out, 2012 was one of the most active years for hurricanes on record.

It is essential that businesses, museums, libraries, schools, and other such institutions properly store their most valuable and important business and historical archives. Imagine a world in which all documented information was lost every time an institution experienced a flood, fire, or mold outbreak! Historical texts and other valuable books and documents would never get passed down for future generations to learn from and enjoy. History would have to be constantly rewritten, and society as a whole wouldn’t have progressed as it has. The best way for institutions to prevent document and archive loss is to implement storage techniques that will protect valuable articles against such catastrophes as flood or mold outbreaks.

It’s one thing to prepare your home and property for a wildfire. It’s entirely different to deal with a fire as it occurs. Just because your land is physically prepared does not mean that a fire will not threaten your home, and in moments of panic people often lose common sense and make potentially fatal mistakes. However, you and your household can easily avoid injury if you simply remain calm and remember a few simple fire damage preparation and evacuation techniques.

The process of restoring water-damaged books can be complicated, time-consuming, and costly, so it is no wonder that institutions such as museums, libraries, and schools are constantly looking for new and effective ways to prevent water damage as well as plans of action if such damage does occur. Rare book rooms are common in most major libraries and bookstores in the country, and some museums and organizations are home to the most valuable, important pieces of literary history. The American Bible Society’s Rare Book Collection contains the first edition of the King James Bible, the Rare Book & Special Collections division of the Library of Congress houses hundreds of first-edition books from throughout American history, and even most colleges and universities have very important rare book collections. When these collections are damaged by water or mold, the institutions that house them not only face a significant financial loss, the world loses a vital part of its history as well.

The rainy season for most parts of the country begins in November and ends in April, and with it comes the risk of heavy flooding. Many people are unaware or apathetic to the risk of a flood in their area, a fact that causes hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of flood damage to home and business owners each year. But with so many insurance companies trying to sell you flood coverage, how do you know what kind of a policy you should invest in, how much you should expect to pay, and the benefits you should expect for your money? It can seem overwhelming, but the first step in feeling confident in your insurance coverage is understanding a little bit about what flood coverage is, what kinds of policies exist, and, most importantly, what coverage fits for your particular flood risk.