Posted on Sat, Dec 08, 2012 @ 07:08 AM
The Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC-LI) has long upheld that it’s not about buildings… it’s about people. We believe that buildings have a profound effect on the lives of the people that live, work and play in them. As advocates for ‘green building,’ most of our work has been focused on energy efficient and environmentally responsible building. Green building, as we define it holistically, considers not just the structure, but the entire infrastructure as well. Accordingly, we bring into the conversation issues pertaining to the larger goals of sustainability and resilience as relating to location, transportation, design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. Resilience is the measure of a system to buffer negative climate effects while main-taining its structure and function (IPCC 2007). While every effort must be made to pinpoint and address weakness, it will never be possible to eliminate all potential vulnerability. Green building must therefore incorporate strategies that both foster sustainability and enable resilience in the wake of inevitable future climactic impact.
Planning for climate variation and potential natural disasters by increasing the adaptive capacity of a system invariably involves a measure of uncertainty. Had any ‘panel discussion’ prior to October 29th attempted to pinpoint Long Island’s vulnerability and need, it would have engendered as many divided opinions as panelists. Both the areas of susceptibility and the level of vulnerability would have been cause for countless additional meetings. For her part, Hurricane Sandy has rendered the need for any such debate moot. Sandy found those vulnerabilities and exposed them for all to see and bear. If there can be any silver lining, it may be that we can catalog the scope and nature of the vulnerabilities across all sectors (residential and commercial buildings, transportation, commerce, etc.) with great accuracy. If there is to be any hope that such future disaster can be mitigated, it lies in our ability to respond in a manner that is measured not by reacting consistent with past behavior but instead one that is measured directly against that which Sandy has presented us, to the extent possible. Responding at this moment assum-ing that the future will be similar to the past would be unconscionable. Blindly fol-lowing past standards, codes or practices is not the answer.
Sandy has devastated hundreds of homes because those houses our neighbors called home were no match for her wrath. Unfortunately, a study this past February co-authored by noted MIT climate scientist Kerry Emanuel suggests that the combined effects of climatology change as relating to storms may cause the present NYC 100-yr surge flooding to occur every 3-20 years. Storm surges are responsible for much of the damage and loss of life associated with landfalling hurricanes. Where houses were destroyed or will be cause for demolition, they should be rebuilt in a manner that considers and addresses the level of destructive forces in-flicted on them. The response must be proportionate.
It’s not about buildings… it’s about people – our families, our friends and our neighbors.
Vince CapognaExecutive DirectorU.S. Green Building Council - Long Island ChapterAdvanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Fri, Oct 19, 2012 @ 08:41 AM
Taken from Patch.com's Southhampton Patch
Written By Ryan Bonner
August 25th, 2011
Email Ryan
With Hurricane Irene setting its sights on Long Island, Suffolk County officials are urging residents to sign up for the county's emergency notification system.
The county's CodeRED program allows residents to receive updates about the storm as it draws closer to our area.
The CodeRED system can deliver customized pre-recorded emergency messages directly to county homes and businesses at the proven capacity of millions of calls per day. CodeRED also has high-speed email and text messaging capability, county officials said.
You can enroll in the Code RED system here:
Get CodeRED
If you know of someone who is interested in the program but does not have Internet access, they can call the Office of Emergency Management’s Customer Service Number (631) 852-4900, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 pm.
About this column: Lead-up, effects and aftermath of the Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene.Related Topics: Code Red, Emergency Notifications, Hurricane Irene, Lindenhurst, and Suffolk County
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Recently due to a traffic accident and the resulting log jam of Rubberneckers, the Town of Southampton on the East End of Long Island urged residents to use CodeRED to be alerted of these type of situations with the aim of reducing congestion on the streets.
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Wed, Aug 08, 2012 @ 10:28 AM
By Denise Johnson | August 6, 2012
Article Taken from: The Claims Journal
An accelerant detection dog should be considered for all large loss residential and commercial structure fires, vehicle fires, incendiary fires and any undetermined fires, according to Michael Koster, fire investigator and owner of Calif. – based Reliant Investigations.
Reliant’s dogs and fire investigators are put through a five week intensive course offered through the Maine State Police K-9 Training Center in Vassalboro, Maine. The facility, located on 200 acres of land, contains a canine agility/confidence course as well as classrooms and a training building.
The dogs are trained according to Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning. The dogs are trained on a daily basis to recognize odors. Once the dog recognizes the odor it is fed.
“Training has to be daily. These dogs are hand-fed five to seven times a day every day,” Koster said during a presentation on the subject at the Combined Claims Conference in Long Beach, Calif.
Over the course of a year that comes out to about 40,000 repetitions, he said. The dogs are never fed at the same time of day and the amount of food varies. After the first year, the dogs are fed three to five times daily to maintain their skills.
“These dogs have to initially be reviewed on a monthly basis for the first year of their training,” Koster said.
After that, they are reviewed on an annual basis.
“It’s very crucial that the dog is tested, trained and evaluated annually both for the criminal and civil side,” the fire investigator said.
To test the dogs on a daily basis, his investigators use 50 percent evaporated gas. This is based on an ATF study which found the amount of residual gas left over after a building fire was approximately 45 percent.
A small amount of gas is poured into a can twice a day and, according to Koster, the dog will follow the can, sniffing the gas, until it is rewarded with food.
“Friday,” a black Labrador Retriever, and Bryan Phillips, recently completed the 200 hour canine-accelerant detection school sponsored by State Farm and certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.
Accelerant detection dogs work approximately five to seven years and they don’t suffer health consequences from the toxic fumes because of their relatively short lifespan.
The dogs are trained to weave in and out of the scent cone until they arrive at the source. Part of the training includes having the dogs identify the source, pass it and return to it.
When a dog finds the source, there is no barking or scratching to alert the investigator. Instead the dog will point to it with its nose. This is to avoid tampering with the scene.
“Always work with passive alerts, never aggressive alerts,” Koster said of the alert system used by accelerant detection dogs.
Koster’s dogs are tested, certified and trained through two different entities. He said t’s very important that a fire investigator validates its accelerant detection dogs.
A major benefit to using an accelerant detection dog on a fire scene is the cost savings.
The dogs are considered more accurate than some devices used today. In addition, because of the increased accuracy, the fire investigator spends less time out on a scene. Lastly, expenses for ruling out samples taken from a scene can be reduced.
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Mon, Aug 06, 2012 @ 11:29 AM
Most people think the story of the NFL is one of the rich getting richer, and the rest getting less.
While that may be true in most cases, the news that the league is donating over four dozen Schutt helmets to a financially challenged football league on Long Island, left many local football fans feeling good about its new-found charity work in the area.
The Bellport youth football league, an organization that has been ravaged by budget cuts, was in desperate need of new helmets and equipment as they headed into their 14th season, and the NFL came through in the clutch by donating 50 brand new Schutt models to families that have fallen on tough economic times.
Fan's Take
Bellport, a small community in Suffolk County, NY, has a population of less than 3,000, and they have long been known as an "under-served" community with high crime and unemployment rates.
Youth league football is perhaps the top way to keep young Bellport children and teens off the streets and out of trouble, but the lack of new equipment made the on-the-field dangers just as extreme.
Hats off to the NFL for doing something positive for the young kids here on Long Island. In the wake of Junior Seau's suicide and the increased awareness of the long-term health consequences of concussions, many parents here on Long Island are worried about signing their children up for football.
The new, safer helmets donated by the NFL will certainly help put those concerns to rest. The only problem I saw with this situation was the fact that the NFL is only donating 50 helmets even though the league has 150 kids. Essentially, that would have left 100 kids with old helmets, and just 50 with brand new ones. That wouldn't have been fair at all.
Luckily, Port Jeff Sports stepped up to the plate by providing 100 brand new Rawlings Momentum helmets, discounted to $50 apiece, which created the opportunity for every child in the league to have a new helmet.
13,000 New Helmets
Jerry O'Hara, who coaches one of the teams for 11-year-olds on which his son, Sean, plays, said, "This is phenomenal because there's a lot of needy families and times are hard."
The NFL lockout of 2011 left many football fans with a bad taste in their mouths, as owners and players both came away from the situation looking greedy, but the league working to take steps to promote safety while contributing funds to youth league football, is a great march in the right direction.
According to a statement issued by the NFL, and as reported by Newsday.com, the goal is to have 13,000 hand-me-down helmets, 10 years or older, traded in for new ones this year. "This program is part of our focus on player safety at all levels of the game," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in the statement.
I give some serious props to the NFL for helping out the children of Long Island who want to pursue football, and for lending a helping hand to the local families that have fallen on hard times.
Eric Holden, a lifelong New York Jets fan and supporter of the NFL, has been covering Long Island high school sports since 2009.
Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Thu, Aug 02, 2012 @ 08:40 AM
When the Weather Is Bad,
Where Are the People You Care About?
My Friends' Weather is a groundbreaking service that connects the weather to the people in your life brought to you by Travelers Insurance Company and The Weather Channel.
See friends and family who may be affected by Breaking Now weather news, so you can be first to warn them and stay in touch. It's easy to sign up through Facebook. Learn more below.
See Who's At Risk Due to the Weather
With My Friends' Weather, you can see who's at risk when a Breaking Now Alert is activated on Weather.com.
Once you have signed up with your Facebook account, Breaking Now weather alerts will include your friends and family who live in the affected area.
These people will only show for you, and only when you are logged into Facebook.
Easy Sign-Up
Have a Facebook account? It's a snap to sign up for My Friends' Weather.
1. Go to the My Friends' Weather app page on Facebook and log in. On that page, click the link that says "Visit Website."
2. Then click "Allow" on the permissions box that pops up. The next time a Breaking Now Alert is active, the red bar will display any friends who live in the affected area.
You can also sign up when a Breaking Now Alert is active. Click the "See Friends" link on the bar to sign up.
When you click, you'll be presented with a Facebook permissions box.
We only ask for the information we need for My Friends' Weather.
Stay in Touch with Friends
Once you have signed up, you can share the Breaking Now news with friends - click on a friend in the red bar, or click to see more friends.
Click a friend to share the Breaking Now Alert directly to the friend's Facebook timeline.
You can add a comment, too. Your message and the Breaking Now Alert will appear on your friend's Facebook timeline, with a link back to weather.com for more information.
If you comment on a friend's weather or notify a friend about a Breaking Now Alert, thatactivity ("notified a friend," for instance) will appear on your timeline, but we do not expose the person you shared to, nor your comment.
Questions? Feedback?
Visit the Weather.com Help Center for answers to your questions about the Travelers Insurance sponsored My Friends' Weather.
And they would love to hear your feedback on My Friends' Weather, so tell them what you think.
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Mon, Jul 30, 2012 @ 10:04 AM
Welcome to the WeatherChannel.com's daily analysis of the tropics for the 2012 hurricane season.
(MORE: Tropical update article)
The above image is an overview of the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Ocean basins, based on analysis provided by Senior Meteorologist Stu Ostro (On Twitter | On Facebook) and Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross (On Twitter |On Facebook). Named storms, hurricanes, or depressions in either basin will be labeled on the graphic. Any other features of interest we're keeping an eye on for possible development will be circled.
If there are areas of interest, you'll find zoomed-in details in the next few images. Otherwise, we'll provide perspective graphics on tropical cyclone climatology for the current month, as well as status updates on the season-to-date.
Click Here to go to the next image of WeatherChannel.com's atlantic ocean hurricane watch analysis.
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Mon, Jul 30, 2012 @ 07:11 AM
Fireman’s Fund Insurance Companies: Personal, Commercial, and Entertainment.
Fireman’s Fund’s mobile application is designed for personal policyholders, business and commercial policyholders and our specialized entertainment lines policyholders.
Store your insurance information, as well as information about the autos and properties covered by these insurance policies. Use the optional password to secure your personal data.
Keep insurance information in one place and with you for maximum convenience.
Fireman’s Fund policyholders can use this application to notify Fireman’s Fund of personal, commercial and entertainment accidents and losses. Submit information about your accident or loss and receive a confirmation message from Fireman’s Fund, followed by a phone call from a helpful claims adjuster. Resubmit your first notice of loss easily if you do not receive the expected acknowledgment. A claim has not been filed and will not be processed until you receive acknowledgment of receipt from Fireman’s Fund.
Fireman’s Fund Insurance has been selling dependable property and casualty insurance to families and businesses across the country since 1863.
Visit your App store to download or scan the QR code to load the:
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Thu, Jul 26, 2012 @ 10:24 AM
July 24, 2012 by Zoe Fox
Taken from: www.Mashable.com
The tragic shooting during a Dark Knight Rises screening in Aurora, Colo., Friday left many of us deeply distraught. If you’re wondering how you can help the victims and their families, many online campaigns have mobilized over the weekend, which make it easy to give to those directly affected.
Here are 5 online campaigns that you can contribute toward or get involved with. If you know of other online efforts, please share those in the comments below.
- Hope Rises Relief Fund: Shooting survivor Petra Anderson’s family started the Hope Rises Relief Fund to raise money for the victims and their families. They’re using the hashtag #ReadyToBelieve, a memorable quotation from the first Batman film, to rally social support.
- #BaleOutAurora: The hashtag #BaleOutAurora is a grassroots Twitter and Facebook campaign to get Christian Bale to visit the kids in the hospital dressed in his Batman costume.
- Help Aurora on Crowdrise: This fundraiser for those affected by the theater shooting was started by theHuffington Post‘s Impact section.
- Official Jessica Redfield Sports Journalism Scholarship Fund: A broadcast sports journalism scholarship is raising money in memory of victim Jessica Gwahi (@JessicaRedfield), one of the victims who was an aspiring sports journalist and avid social media user.
- Graphic Designs: Some powerful images incorporating the Batman image with symbols of support have popped up, which you can share on your networks to raise awareness for the victims.
Mashable’s Coverage of the Colorado Theater Shooting
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Wed, Jul 25, 2012 @ 08:28 AM
DKI: North America's Largest Disaster Restoration Organization
DKI Names Mary Smith as Director of Marketing
Mary Smith is a marketing communications veteran with twenty years of experience in various industries including the fitness, wellness, and entertainment fields. She is well versed in marketing, public relations, event management, advertising, promotional products, and branding.
Previous to this role Smith held the position of Director of Marketing for Nautilus, the fitness manufacturing icon. She was responsible for creating a domestic and international marketing program and creative strategy for the company. She also managed all trade shows and special projects.
"We are very excited to have Mary join the DKI team. Her extensive marketing communications experience will be a perfect fit for DKI's direction and business needs. It is my feeling that Mary will very quickly become an asset to our growing leadership team," said Dan Cassara, DKI President and CEO.
Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa and received her Master of Science degree in Advertising from the University of Illinois.
Smith will be based in the company's National Headquarters in Wood Dale, Illinois.
About DKI
Disaster Kleenup International (DKI), LLC, headquartered in suburban Chicago, is the largest disaster restoration contracting organization in North America. DKI Member Companies provide full service restoration to their customers: emergency response, water damage mitigation, fire and contents cleaning, mold remediation, complete reconstruction and much more, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. DKI returns damaged property to its pre-loss condition quickly and efficiently, delivering complete satisfaction to our consumer, insurance, and corporate customers. For more information about Disaster Kleenup International, LLC, visit our website at www.disasterkleenup.com or contact Mary Smith at (630) 350-3000.
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!
Posted on Tue, Jul 24, 2012 @ 07:57 AM
Wherever you are, you’re in Good Hands with Allstate®.
Allstate(SM) Mobile is your insurance on the go—offering everything you need, from policy and claim information to bill pay and accident support, in the palm of your hand.
Use the Allstate(SM) Mobile app to:
• Make a Payment – Pay your bill anytime using your Visa, MasterCard®, Discover®, or American Express® credit and debit cards.
• Access My Insurance Information – View your Auto, Motorcycle, and Property policies, as well as agent contact information.
• Use the Accident Toolkit – Follow the step-by-step accident checklist to record driver and witness info, capture photos at the scene, and submit a claim.
• File a Claim – Whether it’s minor damage or a major accident, you can quickly and easily submit a claim and include photos from the Accident Toolkit.
• Check Claim Status – Have your claim details, payment history, and claim representative contact information with you at all times.
• Get a Quote – Answer only a few key questions and receive a ballpark estimate on an auto insurance policy without giving your name or email address.
Wherever you are, you’re in Good Hands with Allstate®.
If you’re having any problems downloading or using this app, please contact us at mobileappsupport@allstate.com.
Also available for iOS through Apple's iTunes.
Advanced Restoration Corporation is a Property Damage / Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in New York. Company Services Include: FIRE and SMOKE RESTORATION; MOLD REMEDIATION; WATER MITIGATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; PUFFBACKS; FROZEN PIPES; Complete Restoration & Reconstruction Services. Home Rehab FHA 203k Loan Contractor. Residential,Commercial & Industrial structures in Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY; and the New York Metro Area. Contact Us!