Orange County fires – How is the Chamber helping?

Although Southern California and many parts of Orange County are raging with fires, the SoCal Chamber of commerce is banding together to help individuals and businesses affected by the fires.  If you know someone affected, please pass this info along so we can all move forward together. 

Here’s an article on the chamber’s website about Fire Assistance Information with phone numbers and important contact information.  Its not just the Chamber trying to help, though, its all the members too!!!

First, Anna Dolopo with Elements in Harmony is offering FREE massage to firefighters.  How NICE is that???  If you’re a firefighter, THANK YOU, call Anna she will ease your overworked muscles:  (949) 305-1703.  See http://www.moveyourqi.com/news.html for more info.

Also, Libby with Arbonne has 2 extra rooms in her home for anyone who has been displaced by smoke or fire.  Libby, to open your home to a stranger in need says a lot about you.  If you are a displaced person or family, contact Libby with Arbonne and you can have a nice place to rest tonight.

Rose Clime, our Pet Friendly Realtor had good info about our furry friends to share.  VCA animal hospitals are offering FREE boarding for companion animals whose families have been evacuated or displaced as a result of the fires.  Thank you Rose, for passing that along.  Rose also emailed to remind us to remember our pets are close to the ground and watch out for them inhaling toxic soot and ash.  If you have a blower, clear off the area around your home.  If your pet’s skin is dry from all the ash and wind, an oatmeal bath can help.  Thanks Rose, for always thinking of our 4 legged extension of the family.   For more information about how to help your furry friends, Rose is maintaining this page on her website:  http://www.yourpetfriendlyrealtor.com/12.html

People tend to grab their family, pets, important paperwork, and pictures in an evacuation.  Big Red with Best DVD wanted to remind all of us to get our photos out of boxes and onto DVD’s so we can pack them faster and keep our precious memories.  Dianna, also known as “Big Red” can also help you scan in your important documents and keep them on DVD, so don’t wait until the sherrif knocks on your door to think about getting your memories and papers together.  Do it today for piece of mind. 

Judy Flores, with Nipomo Organizing solutions, has great photo organization boxes that hold 2400 photos apiece.  You can get one from her now for just $32, and that way if you do need to leave quick at 2am, you can grab ONE box with all photos.  Thanks, Judy, for providing this picture too. 

Another preventative tip came from our friend Laura Habeyab with State Farm Insurance.  Laura reminded us to TAKE INVENTORY of everything in our home, and email it to ourselves, so its saved in cyberspace, in the case we have a fire.  If you don’t already have a document to help you organize your belongings, contact Laura at (949) 600-9670.  Also remember, its too late when the fires start to increase your insurance coverage.  Be safe and get the right coverage from the start.  You can trust Laura to send you in the right direction, everyone at the chamber raves about her.

Finally, here are some After Fire Salvage tips from Gus Ruiz with Handyman Matters:

After a Fire Salvage Tips

Clothing – Smoke odor and soot sometimes can be washed from clothing. The following formula often will work for clothing that can be bleached: 4-6 tbsp. of Tri-Sodium Phosphate
l cup Lysol or any household chlorine bleach
l gallon warm water
Mix well, add clothes, rinse with clear water and dry well. Be aware that Tri-Sodium Phosphate is a caustic substance used as a cleaning agent. It should be used with care and stored out of reach of children and pets. Wear rubber gloves when using it.   Electrical Appliances- Appliances that have been exposed to water or steam should not be used until you have a service representative check them. This is especially true of electrical appliances. In addition, steam can remove the lubricant from some moving parts. If the fire department turned off your gas or power during the fire, call the electric or gas company to restore these services – DO NOT TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF. Food- Wash your canned goods in detergent and water. Do the same for food in jars. If labels come off, be sure you mark the contents on the can or jar with a grease pencil. Do not use canned goods when cans have bulged or are dented or rusted.

To remove odor from your refrigerator or freezer, wash the inside with a solution of baking soda and water, or use one cup of vinegar or household ammonia to one gallon of water. Some baking soda in an open container, or a piece of charcoal can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to absorb odor.

Flooring and Rugs- When water gets underneath linoleum, it can cause odors and warp the wood floor. If this happens, remove the entire sheet. If the linoleum is brittle, a heat lamp will soften it so it can be rolled up without breaking. If carefully removed, it can be re-cemented after the floor has completely dried. Small blisters in linoleum can be punctured with a nail and re-cemented if you are careful. Dilute regular linoleum paste thin enough to go through a hand syringe and shoot adhesive through the nail hole. Weigh down the linoleum with bricks or boards. It usually is possible to cement loose tiles of any type. Wait until the floor is completely dry before beginning. Locks and Hinges- Locks (especially iron locks) should be taken apart, wiped with kerosene and oiled. If locks cannot be removed, squirt machine oil through a bolt opening or keyhole, and work the knob to distribute the oil. Hinges also should be thoroughly cleaned and oiled.

Walls and Furniture- To remove soot and smoke from walls, furniture and floors, mix together:

4 to 6 tbsp. Tri-Sodium Phosphate
1 cup Lysol or any chloride bleach
1 gallon warm water. Wear rubber gloves when cleaning. After washing the article, rinse with clear warm water and dry thoroughly. Walls may be washed down while wet. Use a mild soap or detergent. Wash a small area at one time, working from the floor up. Then rinse the wall with clear water immediately. Ceilings should be washed last. Do not repaint until the walls and ceilings are completely dry.Do not dry your furniture in the sun. The wood will warp and twist out of shape. Clear off the mud and dirt by scrubbing with a stiff brush and a cleaning solution. You can also rub the wood surface with a 4/0 steel wool pad dipped in liquid polishing wax, wipe with a soft cloth and then buff. Remove the drawers and let them dry thoroughly so there will be no sticking when you replace them. Wet wood can decay and mold, so allow it to dry thoroughly. Open doors and windows for good ventilation. Turn on your furnace or air conditioner, if necessary. If mold forms, wipe the wood with a cloth soaked in a mixture of borax dissolved in hot water. To remove white spots or film, rub the wood surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of a half cup of household ammonia and a half cup of water. Wipe dry and polish with wax, or rub the surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of a half cup turpentine and a half cup of linseed oil. Be careful because turpentine is combustible.

www.handymanmatters.com

If you just need to RELAX and get away tomorrow, The Chocolate Cafe is celebrating its 1st anniversary with specials on chocolate, and live music and appetizers for all to enjoy, 7-9pm.  They are on the corner of Aliso Creek Rd and La Paz. 

Also, I’m not sure if they are a chamber member or not but in our LeTip group this morning Shay the owner of One Time Construction said that they will credit back any burn victims 10K on the rebuild of a home built by One Time Construction, or towards closing costs of a rebuild of a home not originally built by One Time Construction.  Thanks, that’s really nice of you Shay!  Phone: 949-716-0566 or email onetimeco@aol.com

Although the fire damage is very sad, it makes all of us happy to see people come together and help.  If you know of someone else offering services to displaced families, PLEASE comment and help get the word out!