Don’t let a disaster make you a victim

Because what you don’t know CAN hurt you!

Two types of people emerge from disasters – survivors and victims – but a little knowledge can make all the difference. The Red Guide to Recovery is a comprehensive, easy-to-read, handbook to help walk survivors step-by-step through the disaster recovery process. Disaster survivors can learn how to level the playing field when dealing with insurance, contractors, and emergency resources. We are honored to share that many first responders refer to the Red Guide as a literal disaster recovery road-map.

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You deserve to know what to do. In addition to a 10-Point Quick Start checklist for the first 24 hours of recovery, the Guide includes detailed information including:

Protecting Your Property
Disaster Relief & Financial Assistance
Insurance Issues After a Loss
Smoke & Water Damage
Selecting a Qualified Contractor
Public Insurance Adjuster Services
Hazardous Material Concerns
Safety & Precautions
Trauma Intervention & Grief Counseling
Avoiding Disaster Scams
And Much More…

Customized Editions for Fire Departments

Customization (PDF 1.0 MB) (opens new window) Sample Covers

Benefits of the Guide for First Responders:

It educates survivors on what to do and what not to do in the days, weeks, and months following a disaster.
It addresses post-disaster health and safety precautions.
It provides insight on how to handle the insurance claim process.
It provides detailed information to help people avoid making uninformed decisions or getting scammed.
It gives people, who have never experienced a disaster, the knowledge of what to do, who to trust, and where to turn for help.
It can be used as a disaster preparedness training tool as it explains what the recovery process entails in advance.

Customized Edition for the Vancouver Fire Department

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Secrets of the Insurance Game

Now Available

Most people assume everything will be taken care of if they ever have a claim, but what they don't realize, is that there are a lot of pitfalls and landmines along the road to recovery and many become victimized who don't know how to navigate around them.

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Secrets of The Insurance Game provides an in-depth look into the insurance restoration and property claim handling process. This book covers:

How insurance agents can really hurt you
How to deal with difficult adjusters
What to look for in a restoration contractor
The importance of accurate repair estimates
Overhead & profit - why it’s so important
Common pitfalls after disasters
Tactics disaster chasers use
And much more…

"I ask that you take the information in this book seriously so that if and when an emergency occurs, we can all work together to respond to the needs of our communities. "

– Eric Garcetti – Mayor – City of Los Angeles

"It is without a doubt that having this book available to issue to disaster victims fast tracks their road to recovery. We are grateful to have this at all our disaster relief/recovery sites. "

– Susy Turnbull – Regional Disaster Officer–American Red Cross

"The California Fire Chief’s Association recommends The Red Guide to Recovery, a comprehensive resource that provides up-to-date information to those who face the daunting task of recovering from destructive events. "

– Tracey M. Hansen – President – California Fire Chief’s Association

National Tribal Emergency Management Council

"The Red Guide to Recovery provides our Native communities with the information they need to recover from disaster events, as well as prepare for recovery in advance. "

– Lynda Zambrano – Executive Director – National Tribal Emergency Mgmt Council

"The Red Guide to Recovery is an incredibly valuable tool because the scope and variety of recovery information helps disaster survivors take the first steps to their “new normal. "

– Holly Crawford – Director – County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services

"Your publication provided a number of insights I had not considered, and several chapters were invaluable in dealing with some of the subsequent issues, in particular how to document losses. "

– Sal Rosano – Chief of Police (Ret.) – Santa Rosa Police Department

"When we saw the Red Guide for the first time we knew that we wanted to be able to provide this to the residents of the City and County of San Francisco to give them some direction and to assist them in beginning the recovery process as soon as possible. "

– Joanne Hayes-White, Chief of the San Francisco Fire Department

Stories and Testimonials

Fire
Flood
Tornado
Hurricane (and more)

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Fire
Departments
Relief
Organizations
Emergency
Management
Tribes

Local Editions

Only two types of people emerge from disasters, survivors and victims. A little knowledge can make all the difference.

Learn More about Local Editions

The Red Guide:

The Path To Recovery From Crisis

"The Red Guide to Recovery has proven to be an excellent resource to aid victims of fire in our community. As promised, this reference helps prepare victims for the issues they will face during the recovery phase."

– Chief Javier Mainar – Fire Chief, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department

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Free Downloads

The Red Guide Toolbox

Designed as a companion to our popular Red Guide to Recovery, this free toolkit provides helpful checklists, templates, tips and more to guide you through the important questions to ask and steps to take immediately following disaster.

Download My Free Toolbox

Personal Property Memory Jogger

Home Inventory Tool

Our itemized Personal Property Inventory Template helps you remember! Get started quickly with over 6,100 items pre-populated in this comprehensive “Memory Jogger.” This is an invaluable companion to The Red Guide to Recovery Handbook.

Personal Property Memory Jogger