GBA - Summer 2019

10 ≥ www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Summer 2019 a large area, consider dividing it into smaller zones with dedicated call trees. These lists can be time consuming. Consider having a dedicated board member or committee to help maintain this information. You can also enlist various technologies to help streamline your emergency needs. Leveraging Technology in an Emergency There are a number of apps in the marketplace that you and your association can use in case of an emergency. Some of the apps for consideration are Life 360 , Facebook Messenger , WhatsApp and GroupMe . Text messaging is available to anyone with a mobile device and is probably the easiest to use. Simply set up a text group, give it an easy-to-remember name and alert everyone simultaneously in an emergency. Northern 911 is a private company that one association uses to outsource its phone tree function that is reasonably priced. Liability Questions Some associations have asked about the assumption of liability and liability insurance coverage. Rice Insurance advises that: ≥ Personal liability coverage is attached to your home insurance policy; your cottage usually only has premises liability or locations-specific liability. Depending on the policy, your personal liability will cover various family members anywhere in the world. You should check with your insurance company or broker to ensure you have sufficient liability coverage and understand when it will and will not respond to a claim.  ≥ US residents may not be covered in Canada by their US home policy in the same way, but may be able to get coverage, or buy a separate policy. This needs to be reviewed by an insurance specialist in your home state.  ≥ Associations that provide fire pumps and advice need to confirm they are properly covered on their current policies; these additional operations may result in a more expensive policy. It is essential that associations that provide or arrange for access to fire pumps or similar equipment, or provide advice to members on dealing with fires and emergencies, confirm that their insurance covers any legal liability that could arise. We will be advising your associations directly on this issue and will have more complete information for you posted on the GBA website. Please remember that GBA members can get a 15% discount on all their personal insurance from Rice as part of your membership benefits: https://georgianbay.ca/membership/gba-membership- benefits/ This article is intended for general information purposes only. For advice regarding your insurance needs or liability insurance coverage, please contact your insurance broker. While we have attempted to provide information that is helpful for our readers, GBA accepts no legal liability for the contents of this article. Ensure you check original sources of information on fire prevention and response for further details and updates. Check details of the general liability provisions of your insurance coverage if you are involved in providing or supporting firefighting equipment, planning or advice. Continued from page 9 Fire Safety Suggestions for Individuals: 1. Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are present and working. 2. Have a list of local emergency numbers posted for all to see. Include all pertinent cottage location information. 3. Have the right fire extinguishers in the right places. 4. Have an individual fire plan for evacuation. 5. Make sure your plan has two escape routes. 6. Respect local fire ratings. 7. Have a fire pump and use it regularly to ensure it is in good working order. 8. At the very least have a list of neighbours to call for assistance. 9. Follow your association’s emergency plan if it exists. 10. Make sure you have insurance and you understand what your insurance covers. It should be adequate to replace your contents, to rebuild, and to clean up fire debris.