Tornado season in the South started early this year. The warning from a NOAA weather radio in the early hours of the morning was a reminder of how important it is for every home and workplace to have a functioning weather radio. A NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio broadcasts National Weather Service (NWS) watches, warnings, forecasts and other hazards 24 hours a day, seven days a week over all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and U.S. Pacific Territories.While 85-95 percent of the nation is covered by weather broadcasts, it is estimated that only 5-10% of Americans actually own a weather radio. It is especially important to have one when a storm strikes in the middle of the night, or when you are working in the studio and may not be listening to a radio or television.

Here are some facts and tips about weather radios:

The widespread flooding that followed Tropical Storm Irene up the coast from North Carolina to Vermont where the CERF+ office is located, has been a painful reminder of something we hear after every flood. That is, that many artists, business owners, and homeowners mistakenly assume that their insurance covers them for flood damage. Homeowner's and business insurance does not cover any damage from floods, or "rising water."

The scenario: In this frank, amusing, and informative two-part animation, Nora, a soon-to-be art school graduate asks Tim, an established artist whose work she respects, questions about business insurance. Note: The source of many of Tim’s comments come from comments CERF+’s director of programs, Craig Nutt, has heard during his six years advocating for and educating artists about business insurance.
The Studio Protector Online Guide has more information on a variety of insurance topics, including business insurance and a listing of sources for business insurance for artists.

Photo: FEMA

September is National Preparedness Month, and the past month has underscored the importance of rain, and the destruction caused by too little or too much of it. In Vermont, where the CERF+ office is located, we are dealing with the aftermath of unprecedented flooding that came with Hurricane Irene. Just like the many other floods we see, most people did not have flood insurance on their homes and businesses. Many people are learning the painful fact that homeowners and business insurance does not cover "rising water."

While the East Coast was being washed away, the wildfires in bone-dry Central Texas intensified.

The news has been full of reports of cyber-espionage and cyber-warfare. However, you do not need to be a world power to be targeted by cyber criminals. The Studio Protector: The Artists Guide to Emergencies has just added a page on Cyber-Security: Computer and Online Safety Tips.  Here is a sampling of tips:

1. Have good antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-malware and firewall software installed on your computer and update daily. 

2. Keep your computer backed up and copies in a Safe Offsite Location (SOL).

3. Do not open suspicious emails and attachments, even if they come from a reliable source.

4. Use long and strong passwords with a combination of random characters, and use different usernames and passwords for each account.

NASA has been in the news this month with the retirement of the last Space Shuttle, Atlantis, and the end of the current manned space flight program. Long known for preparing astronauts for any emergency that may arise, NASA is now encouraging its families to become better prepared for disasters.

CERF+ Executive Director, Cornelia Carey traveled to Laguna Beach, CA to hear firsthand what had happened to some of the artists who had been affected by a storm earlier this year that dumped 10" of water and released cascades of mud.

Given the flooding this spring and early summer affecting large areas in our nation, many artists are faced with the challenges of cleaning up and salvaging artworks, tools, and other items for themselves or for others affected by the floods. It doesn't take a breached levee to create some of these problems - an overflowing toilet or burst pipe can cause some of the same damage albeit on a smaller scale.

Last month the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta issued an emergency preparedness blog that went viral within the preparedness community. Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse provides answers to a question that is on the minds of many people, "How do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?" To be prepared the CDC recommends

Craig Nutt attends a the National VOAD Conference in Kansas City and is treated to a tornado warning.  Find out what a VOAD is (hint: not a garden pest), what kind of jokes are told at a VOAD conference, and more about the people who will come to help you if you are ever in a disaster.

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The April tornadoes that caused hundreds of deaths in the Southeast, are a grim reminder of the need to know what to do to improve your chances of surviving. Despite the huge death toll, countless lives were spared because people got to a safe place before the tornado struck. Even if you do not live in a tornado-prone area, you may be visiting an area where tornadoes happen, or may experience a freak weather event.  Here are some tips to help you survive a tornado:

Astronaut Cady Coleman said she wasn't looking forward to giving up her angelic view of Earth from the International Space Station. She is coming back to a country recovering from a record outbreak of tornadoes, and flooding and other disasters that took place while she was in space.  In this blog Craig Nutt continues his observations from a recent trip to tornado-ravaged Alabama.

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 I have to admit that the onslaught of disasters this year, along with the destruction I saw in Alabama, makes our efforts seem insignificant compared to of the power of nature. But, I have also seen the determination of people to put their lives and careers back together, and the value of knowing what to do after an emergency, evidenced by the countless VOADs that were on the ground in Tuscaloosa, each carving out a little piece of recovery.

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Last week, I finally made it back to my old home, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, about two weeks after the deadly tornadoes that struck on April 27, leaving 41 dead in Tuscaloosa County, 238 dead statewide, and another 100 dead across the Southeast. I spent two days visiting artists and friends who were impacted by the tornadoes.

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May 1st is the national day of preparedness in the cultural community and, not coincidentally the beginning of hurricane season. To mark MayDay, we suggest that each artist and arts organization do one thing that will help them get more prepared for emergencies. Here are 5 suggestions.

1. Make a list of risks to your business (you may have done this last month). Pick one and do something to lessen the risk. Create a plan for lessening the others.

2. If you don't have business insurance, get a quote. It may cost less than you think. We find that many artists could cover their businesses for about the cost of a latte per day. Remember-your homeowner's or renter's insurance probably does not cover your business building, property, or liability. Here is a listing of companies that insure artists.

It seems like the country is consumed by disasters.  If you haven't been blown away, chances are pretty good that you are under water or on fire. I think everyone in a declared disaster zone is aware of assistance available through the Red Cross, FEMA, and the SBA.  There are some tips for getting help from the major national relief providers here on the Studio Protector site.

But, you may not know that a number of arts organizations and funders have been working together as the National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response for several years to try to build a better safety net for artists.  This effort is in its infancy, but great strides have been made, including the Studio Protector, The Artist's Guide to Emergencies. Among the immediate benefits has been better channels of communications among organizations.  We have been in touch with a number of our Coalition partners, and they want you to know that help is available.

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From what I can tell from talking with friends in Tuscaloosa, everyone who can lay hands on one is wielding a chainsaw.  Oxford American, the magazine of Southern writing, music, and culture sent filmmaker Dave Anderson to Tuscaloosa the day after the tornadoes hit, and they just released this film: Chainsaw Samaritans. Seeing this film reminded me of my first visit to the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans a few months after Katrina - something that rearranged my neural circuitry for life. The difference is that this is landscape I should know by heart. But now it is nearly devoid of recognizable landmarks.  The only place in the film I could recognize (I think) is Forest Lake, where the image in the previous blog post was taken.

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It has been an emotionally exhausting week since tornadoes cut a path through much of the Deep South on April 27th. While I was working away under a tornado watch here in Tennessee, I was unaware that a tornado was cutting a mile-wide swath out of my home town of 30 years, Tuscaloosa, AL and through my sister-in-law's backyard in Fultondale (north of Birmingham) over 60 miles away.

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Punxsutawney Phil and all the major groundhogs agree that spring will come early this year. While even the thought of an early spring is welcome after this particularly brutal winter, sudden freezes, snow thaws, and spring rains bring increased risk of flooding no matter where you live. Even if your studio is covered by insurance, business insurance (like homeowner's insurance and renter's insurance) does not cover "rising water." Watch this interview with New Hampshire furniture maker Gary Spykman as he talks about his experiences with a flood in his studio

January 17th was the seventh anniversary of the Northridge, California earthquake, and devastating earthquakes last year in Haiti and Chile remind us that an earthquake can happen any time. Even if you do not live in a seismic zone, there is still a possibility that you could be visiting one when an earthquake strikes. If you are remember to:

• Drop- don't run, you are likely to injure yourself trying to run while the earth is shaking. If you are inside, do not run outside where you may be hit by falling debris. Stay where you are. 

• Cover - get under a a table or other sturdy piece of furniture or a structure that will protect you from falling objects.

• Hold On - to a table leg and ride out the shaking.

Fire Prevention Week was October 3-9 so this is a good time to focus on some basic fire safety tips for the studio. Here are 8 fire safety tips from the Studio Protector: The Artists' Guide to Emergencies:

2. Test alarms frequently, the most common cause of failure is dead batteries. Replace batteries in spring and fall

3. Be sure you have adequate fire extinguishers located near each exit.

The recent wildfires near Boulder, Colorado underscore the importance of making preparations to help protect our studios and homes from the threat of fires, and to have a plan in place in case of fire. 

2.       Remove debris from locations close to structures.

3.       Enclose all eaves. Use fire-resistant siding and safety-glass windows and doors.

It is the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and this month's tip focuses on protecting valuables such as artwork from moisture.

• Avoid basement storage of art and valuables

•  Protect artwork from moisture from above and below. Raise valuables above floor level, and if a storm or flood is imminent , consider moving them to a higher floor if possible. Protect from above and below with heavy plastic or tarps Keep gutters and drains unclogged

• Check plumbing fixtures and sprinkler systems periodically and fix leaks

• Neither business insurance nor homeowners' insurance covers damage from "rising water." You do not have to live in a flood zone to purchase flood insurance. More information

I have been putting off doing a studio inventory for a long time, so I was strangely relieved when it became apparent that I really had to deal with it. I found that the whole process was relatively easy and painless using a spreadsheet and a digital camera. There are several good reasons to do a studio inventory. My immediate reason was

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I know most of us would just as soon have a root canal as to shop for business insurance, but sometimes we just have to muster up our courage and climb into the chair. I got a notice this spring that my business insurance was being dropped by the policy underwriter. This was not because of anything I did or didn't do,

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This month's "Tip of the Month" comes from the Studio Protector MayDay 2010 Contest. One of the best entries came from Hilda Melchior of Fairbanks, Alaska who wrote: "I made an "end of day" check list.  Check: gas off, power tools and pickle pots unplugged (we have lots of power outages here), pickle pots covered,  fan off,  air make up window closed (not good to leave open when it's below 0); make sure all tools and other items are firmly placed and not near an edge (in case of earthquake) and one last scan to see if anything does not look right."

Nashville may lack a cohesive gallery district like New York's Chelsea, or Canyon Road in Santa Fe, but that does not mean that the arts scene here is lacking in cohesion and creativity.  A recent benefit for Finer Things Gallery, located above Rusty Wolfe's floded studio (reported in earlier blog posts) and run by Rusty's wife Kim Brooks is evidence that the creative community here pulls together.

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We had planned before the flood to meet friends at the Nashville Jazz Workshop on Friday night, and since the venue was on high ground, and accessible, the show went on - but the door went to flood relief.  Despite the well-publicized loss of musical instruments in the SoundCheck  building, music goes on in the Music City, and benefit concerts are springing up all over.

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 It rained for 40 days and 40 nights, all in two days here in Middle Tennessee. I live just west of Nashville, and if you ever needed evidence that a disaster can occur anywhere, this is it. A weather front stalled here last weekend and dumped over 14 inches of rain in two days. Flooding occurred in the predictable places, along the larger rivers, but also in areas that no one expected to flood.

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Studio Protector Blog Craig Nutt's Studio Protector Blog

As the flood waters in Rhode Island and Tennessee subside and hurricane season begins we are reminded that many disasters involve water. A broken pipe, damaged roof, or the water from putting out even a small fire can have the same devastating consequences to your art work as if the water came from a flood or hurricane. The Studio Protector recommends protecting your work from moisture from above and below by elevating it off the floor on shelves, bins, or pallets and cover it with plastic or tarps if there is danger of water coming from above.