Protect Your Groundwater Day

Protect Your Groundwater Day was started by the National Ground Water Association to make groundwater protection a regular part of how every American citizen lives.
Today, NGWA urges you to ACT. Use this day to begin doing your part to protect one of our most important natural resources - groundwater.

1.  Acknowledge the causes of preventable groundwater contamination -

• Everyone
• There are hazardous substances common to households.
• Most household water use occurs in a few areas around the home.
• If you own a water well
• Wellheads should be a safe distance from potential contamination.
• Septic system malfunctions can pollute groundwater.
• Poorly constructed or maintained wells can facilitate contamination.
• Improperly abandoned wells can lead to groundwater contamination.

2.  Consider which apply to you -

• Everyone
• What specific hazardous substances are in and around your home?
• Where do you and your family use the most water
• If you own a water well
• Is your wellhead a safe distance from possible contamination?
• Is your well/septic system due for an inspection?
• Are there any abandoned wells on your property?

3.  Take action to prevent groundwater contamination -

• Everyone
• When it comes to hazardous household substances:
• Store them properly in a secure place,
• Use them according to the manufacturer's recommendations,
• Dispose of them safely.
• When it comes to water conservation:
• Modify your water use,
• Install a water-saving device.
• If you own a water well
• Move possible contamination sources a safe distance from the wellhead.
• Get current on your septic system inspection and cleaning.
• Get your annual water well system inspection.
• Properly decommission any abandoned wells using a professional.

[Information courtesy of the National Groundwater Association.]

Emergencies Affect all of Us, Including our Pets

If you are like millions of animal owners nationwide, your pet is an important member of your household.  When planning your family for disaster, don't overlook the needs of your cherised family pets.  In order to be safe and survive an emergency, you must take steps to prepare today.

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), while you make a plan to prepare your family also consider your family pet.  This year, NPM is focused on helping Americans remember the disasters from our past, while preparing for the disasters of our future.  Get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan including your pets, and make sure you are ready to help those who may need extra help.

Pet owners can receive free preparedness tips on how to best prepare for emergencies at Ready.gov, or by calling 1-800-BE-READY, 1-888-SE-LISTO, and TTY 1-800-462-7585.  Learn what to put in a pet Emergency Supply Kit, how to develop a pet care buddy system, and how to make plans in advance for neighbors' pets if they need to evacuate.  In addition, instructional videos on family and pet preparedness are available at: Ready.gov.videos. This September, remember to prepare your entire family, including your pets.

[Article written by Darryl J. Madden, Director, Ready Campaign]

September IS National Preparedness Month!

It Doesn't Cost A Lot To Be Prepared

By Darryl J. Madden, Director, Ready Campaign

It is no secret that many families and individuals are looking to cut back on spending. But with the frequency of disasters, both natural and manmade, can you afford not to be prepared? Preparedness doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.

 

September is National Preparedness Month, and we are asking you to help your family and friends prepare for whatever may come. Here are a few tips* on how you can protect those that matter to you without spending a fortune.

• Make a Plan. Work with your family and neighbors to make an emergency plan for the types of disasters that affect your area. Make sure everyone in your family understands where to go and what to do in case of an emergency. You can download Family Emergency Plan templates at Ready.gov.
• Update Contact Information. Having accurate records for family, friends, and neighbors will help you stay in contact and possibly help those in need. Make sure updated contact information is posted in visible places throughout your house and workplace.
• Check Your Policy. Review your insurance policy** anually and make any necessary changes - renters, too! When a disaster strikes, you want to know that your coverage will get you back on your feet.
• Make a Ready List.  You may not need all of th items in ready-made preparedness kits. Choose the essentials that fit your needs and budget. Don't forget to keep supplies at work and in your car. Sample Ready Lists can be found at Ready.gov, use these as inspiration.
• Plan Your Purchases. You can save money by thinking ahead. Don't buy preparedness items just before a storm when they're expensive and supplies will be in high demand. Buy items at the end of the season when you can get good deals.
• Shop Sales. Shop at sales and used goods stores. Buy preparedness items throughout the year, instead of all at once, and you won't notice the cost as much.
• Make Sure it Keeps. Store water in safe containers. You don't need to buy expensive bottled water, just make sure your water containers are disinfected and airtight.
• Request a Gift. We all get things we don't need. Suggest preparedness supplies as gifts from your friends and family. It might just save your life.
• Trade a Night Out. Trade one night out to fund your 72-hour kit. Taking a family of four to the movies can cost upwards of $80. Just one night staying in could fund your Ready kit.

*The best tip: start now. Take small steps toward preparedness and before you know it, you will be Ready!

**If you have questions about your current coverage, please give your Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho agent a call. He or she will help answer any questions you might have.

Labor Day Weekend - Boating Safety

Labor Day Weekend marks the last long weekend of summer for many families. Your weekend activities may include taking a boat to the lake or river one last time before the weather starts to cool down.  The following Boating Safety Tips will help to make sure everyone enjoys a fun, safe boating experience!

• Life Jackets - 90% of all victimes who drown were not wearing a life jacket. Make sure all people on your boat are wearing a life jacket that is the correct size for them. Also, it never hurts to have one or two extra life jackets just in case something happens.
• No Alcohol -  Historically, alcohol is involved in one-third of all recreational boating fatalities. Driving a boat while drinking is the same as driving a car, you can lost control quickly. If it is hot outside, consuming alcohol may also lead to dehydration. The best rule of thumb, do not take any alcohol onto your boat.
• Keep An Eye Out - You should constantly pay attention to all passengers on board your boat, especially chidren. It only takes one second for a child or passenger to fall out or get injured. Some passengers may get sea-sick on a boat, and the best way to tell is by watching them. If you feel that something is wrong with a passenger, it may be best to go back to shore for a while. Also, watching for other boaters, objects in the water, and your surroundings will help ensure everyone's safety.
• Vessel Safety Check - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's United States Coast Guard Auxiliary provides free Vessel Safety Checks to look at: life jackets, registration and numbering, navigation lights, ventilation, fire extinguishers, distress signals (flares, horns, etc.), and battery covers and connections. If your vessel passes, you will are awarded a VSC Decal that alerts law-enforcement agencies that your boat was found to be in full compliance with all Federal and State boating laws. If your boat does not pass, no report is filed. Instead, you are given a written report to aid in corrected any discrepancies noted. To schedule a VSC in your area, visit Vessel Safety Check, enter your zip code, and search for your local USCG Auxillary Vessel Examiner.

And, one last thing, insurance. Most insurance policies require that your boat be listed separately and to have all equipment listed. If you have questions about insuring your boat, please contact your local Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho agent who can help you determine the right type of coverage necessary. Have a great SAFE Labor Day weekend!

* Photo Courtesy of The U.S. Coast Guard

Protect. Prevent. Prevail. Beat the flu!

Protect. Prevent. Prevail this Winter

Get the flu vaccination – not the flu!

BOISE ID (August 15, 2011) – Adults age 65 and older and people under 65 with chronic illness are encouraged to get a flu shot early, before flu season begins. The flu vaccine is available to Medicare beneficiaries at no cost, no coinsurance, no copayment and no deductible.

Idaho Department of Insurance Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) Coordinator Jacquie Kennedy-Gooch says, “The flu vaccine helps prevent the flu, it doesn’t give you the flu. By protecting yourself, you are protecting those around you.”

The Department of Insurance reminds Idahoans of some common-sense tips to help avoid the flu:

·         Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or sneeze into your elbow – not your hand.

·         Wash your hands often with soap and water.

·         Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

·         Try to avoid close contact with people who are ill; stay home if you are ill.

For more information, contact the SHIBA office at www.doi.idaho.gov, or call 1-800-247-4422.

Veterans Day Essay Contest

To mark both Veterans Day 2011 and the September return of the Idaho Army National Guard's 116th Calvary Brigade Combat Team, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho is sponsoring the "Veterans Essay Contest". The essay topic is "What My Parent's (or Sibling's) Military Service Means To Me". The essay is a great opportunity for children to put in their own words the impact their active duty parent's or sibling's military service has made in their lives. Contest rules and entry forms are available from any Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho agent or you may download an entry form here.

Farm Bureau Insurance's Relay For Life Purple Reign

For the sixth consecutive year, Farm Bureau Insurance’s Home Office Relay For Life team raised more money for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event than any other Pocatello-area team. Farm Bureau Insurance’s first-place team raised $8,852 this year for the fight against cancer.

Team captain Marci Hamann credits Farm Bureau Insurance and its employees for the team’s successful fundraising campaign. “To have the opportunity to work for an employer that supports and cares about this cause so much is very rewarding in itself.”

Hamann believes that one day there will be a cure for cancer. And when there is, she says, “everyone who has ever supported the American Cancer Society will have had a hand in it.”
 
The 2011 Farm Bureau Insurance Relay for Life team included:
Rebecca Clemens, Michelle Coffin, Sheri Hokanson, Shalae Kane, Lindsay Kopp, Leigh Ann Languein, Wendy Linscheid, Jennifer Lowrey, Ashley Miller, Brandon Peterson, Linda Peterson, Lisa Shappart, and Marci Hamann, team captain.

The Relay for Life, known for its purple theme, celebrates cancer survivorship and raises money for American Cancer Society research and programs.

Cancer survivor and longtime Farm Bureau Insurance Relay for Life team member Linda Peterson at the 2011 Relay for Life of Pocatello.