After the fire I was hired by an architecture firm, and I spent a year doing 100 fire booklets for 100 homeowners, coordinating with the architects in the office who drew the “as was” plans of the old homes.

These were homes that typically had been purchased in the prior 10 years for approximately $200 – 250k. They were typically 1500-1800 square feet. The “to be” drawings had to replicate the house, except bring it to 1991 code, and then there was what the client really wanted (typically if they were rebuilding: 10,000 sq ft house in order to feel cocooned and protected). So the insurance company would typically pay for my work documenting the house and costs, plus three sets of plans by architects, plus construction management. Then the insurance would pay the client 3 yrs of rent on a comparable house (usually at that time about $300k) plus permit fees, plus landscaping, plus the cost to rebuild the house, plus 90% for contents no matter what they had inside (warhols or posters, gucci suits or gap tshirts). Plus the values of their cars, boats, etc. Most clients did really well. We were typically able to get a cash settlement of around $3m tax free or more depending. Many clients sold their lots for $100k and went to Italy or somewhere to decompress after the trauma and just hang with the cash.

At first, most of us working with these people felt really badly for them. They had lost all of their worldly possessions, maybe pets, one woman ran all the way down the hill with flames leaping after her with her pet in her arms and the clothes on her back. But after about a year, and gobs of compensation later, the fire loss people had become a bunch of overly entitled whiners who still wanted more more more: money, sympathy, possessions, protection. It was ridiculous.

Honestly most of the people working for them couldn’t even afford to buys houses in the flats in bad neighborhoods, much less the nice ones the victims had with those gorgeous views, and we had to listen to the traumatic whining over and over daily of these very rich self-centered people and just be sympathetic. Not all but a lot of them were unable to get perspective or to see how incredibly privileged they were, despite their losses. They became pathetic and the newspapers began to report on backlash reactions because of how incredibly demanding some of these people were behaving.

I would say do these things in addition to the things mentioned above (like clearing brush throughout the neighborhood or :

– make sure you have a insurance policy that pays for “replacement” of the house, plus contents, plus vehicles, plus services like architectural drawings and rental while the house is being redone. Less than that will result in an actual cash loss when trying to rebuild.

– if you have expensive art have all of it scheduled separately. we had clients with houses full of warhols and picassos etc and none of it was listed.. so they were simply reimbursed for “90% of whatever the house was determined to be worth.” Ditto for other collectables or jewelry, rare cars or furnature.

– make sure you have photos of your house, everywhere, inside and out somewhere else (online, with family members at their homes.. whatever). We often would contact family to get old birthday party or other event photos.. to show, say, wood panelling behind the cake in the background.. whatever we could to document things.

– make a safety plan for post disaster that includes a phone number that everyone in the house and relatives can call, and have everyone memorize it (no cell phone reliance, just in case). This phone should be able to relay messages to all about everyone’s whereabouts, etc. Don’t plan to use email because if the laptop burns, it may be a while before someone can get to email or figure out how to check in (think grandma). You need to be able to call immediately, verify you are alive, and communicate where you are and can be reached. Cell services often get overloaded during crises so think that one through as well.

– make an exit plan for during a disaster with a place to go if any household members are at home when the disaster occurs. Know routes and locations, know where to go and what to do for multiple scenarios.

– make a pet plan if you have those.. including what to do if there is no car to get the pet out if someone is at home and the rest are gone with the cars.

Lastly, think about the situation in advance, get valuables into safety deposit boxes, and remember that it’s just stuff and only the people, the pets and maybe data or family photos (in other words non-replaceable items) matter most. The rest doesn’t really matter and isn’t more important than other people. It can be replaced, given proper insurance or funding.

If a disaster does happen, get therapy. It is a loss and it’s scary, but life happens and it’s not the end of the world. Things will go on. I have a friend in chicago who’s family house burnt down twice (yeah.. crazy.. once by lightening and once 20 yrs later due to an electrical fire). They are still healthy and happy and have perspective and know their friends and family, plus others in the community matter more than things. They have insurance and they just roll with it.

mary

Most of the deaths happened on the hill behind the Claremont, most notably on Charing Cross Road. The Hiller Highland hill is one hill south, actually.

As someone who lost her house in the fire I think there is some stuff one can do to prepare but when the conditions are like they were on October 1991, it’s a matter of luck and wind and manpower if your home survives.

It’s helpful to have a fire resistant roof (not wood shingles) and to keep brush trimmed in a 30-foot defensive perimeter.

The North Hills Phoenix Association has a member who has printed up fliers to put on cars parked in a way to obstruct the easy passage of fire trucks.

All I know is that 18 years after the fire, I still gather my valuables by the front door on any day I smell smoke in the air.

On a personal level, for comms walkie talkies are not that expensive and for everything, having a kit similar to what the community groups have is not a bad thing to do (if you can afford it and will maintain it). Having several days of food and water on hand it a very good idea. I know of at least one ham operator somewhere in the hills and there are probably several and if there is one in your area you should find out who because they’ll be a hub if you get cut off.

In my opinion – one I’m sure not everyone shares – consider also laying in a firearm if you can do so securely and learn how to use it safely. I hate to say it but after a “big one”, if the hills are “on their own” for several days, I won’t be too surprised if you have bigger problems than threat of fire.

I remember the ‘91 fire. I remember when it broke out that, down in People’s Park, it was almost a joke. That’s where I first got the news of it, in fact. “Hey, did you hear? The hills are on fire. Wanna play some chess?”

I remember a lot of people having their lives pretty devastated and lots of news footage that was agonizing to watch. It was a very sad time.

I remember the experts doing the post mortem. Their gist was: “Don’t act so surprised. It’s not like you weren’t warned.”

I remember when rebuilding projects took place in the most unconsidered way.

I think that a lot of residents of Berkeley don’t know how basically crazy we all are for settling here, at least in such numbers. As you’ve observed, the hills are at best a slow and relentless mud-slide. The water supply is insufficient. The big quake is sure to come. Hill-fires reliably happen. Emergency evacuation from the region in mass numbers is essentially impossible. The number one manufactured product of the regional economy is (often violent) crime. The real estate has been historically over-priced for quite a while. The built environment suffers a paucity of public spaces that help to build local community and culture. Public transportation is a disaster. On and on. We’re collectively nuts.

-t

There are a bunch of city sponsored Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) courses coming up this month, see: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=3920

And in our neighborhood, we’re so organized that we have a planned disaster every year … to practice! Next drill is October 17 10AM. Check us out at http://northside-emprep.org/ Every year we learn something … not the least of which is: meet your neighbors!!!