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September is National Preparedness Month and 2010 marks the seventh anniversary of this campaign. This year the Ready Campaign and the Ad Council, the companies that produce PSAs (public service announcements), are focusing on FEMA’s second step to being prepared, “Make a Plan.” The thought is that if families and businesses make an emergency preparedness plan, they will then take the steps to prepare an emergency disaster kit.

One of the important things learned from natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina is the need to include your pets in the family’s emergency disaster plan. Images of homeowners who would not evacuate their homes because they did not want to leave a pet behind and those of abandoned pets still cause animal lovers and pet owners to cringe and wish they could have done something to help. The time to help protect your pets is now, before a disaster happens.

The Pine River Cheese and Butter Co-op suffered major fire damage after a September 7, 2010 blaze broke out in the northwest corner of the building, causing smoke and water damage throughout the facility. As a result, the food processing facility will be closed during the remediation process. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Gutters are one the homes most neglected accessories, but one of the cheapest defenses against water damage, mold, mildew and problems with a home’s foundation. When gutters are not well maintained, however, rainwater and debris can collect on your roof. If the situation is not remedied quickly, water can seep through roofing materials and cause major water damage.

If your home or office building was affected by recent water damage, such as floods, you may not be done with the cleanup process even though the water may appear to be gone. Anything that got wet must be completely dried to prevent structural damage and mold.