FARMHOUSE
QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK
(From recent Inside FH newsletters)
Risk Management: Checklist
- "I read something about getting the house ready for the holiday break, what is that we need to do?"
- "I saw something in the FarmHouse Flash newsletter about getting the chapter house ready for the summer, can you provide some more details about what kinds of things other chapters have had happen over the summer to help our guys realize how important this is?"
- "Could you share some pointers for chapters on being careful about who comes into the chapter house over the break?"
- "As we get ready for spring break, what are some of the things we need to be sure to do by the end of the semester?"
QUESTION OF THE WEEK? --- "I read something about getting the house ready for the holiday break, what is that we need to do?"
* RESPONSE --- For this one, we turn to Rich Jungman, from Kirklin & Company, the company that writes our FRMT insurance policies and many of our association's property insurance policies.
Each year our undergraduate members encounter hassles and damage to your belongings due to damage to chapter houses over the holiday break. Why? Because someone does not make certain the furnace is turned on and in good working order. Or, someone actually turns the heat down to save a few dollars and returns to the chapter with a river running down what used to be the hall or stairwell.
Avoid having to deal with these hassles, displaced students and the expensive $10,000 deductible by taking these few precautionary steps:
- Service your furnace: Routine maintenance is critical and relatively inexpensive. In the long run it will save you money. Your furnace will run more efficiently and be more dependable, which is critical during periods when there will be no one around to monitor its performance.
- Leave your furnace on and maintain the heat at 60-65 degrees.
- Shut off the water supply at the main value and open the faucets. If your property is equipped with a fire sprinkler system, please check with the contractor to ensure its effectiveness is not compromised in any way.
- Open cabinet doors that contain water lines. It will allow heat to enter the area and help prevent them from freezing.
- Make sure all hoses are removed from exterior water spigots.
- Check all rooms and unplug all non-essential appliances and electronics. The source of many fires was an improperly used, unattended or malfunctioning appliance or space heater. If they are not plugged in, they are not a threat.
- Clean the chapter house before the break. This will ensure that no heat registers are blocked and will reduce any potential fire hazards.
- Hire someone to check on the property, at a minimum, every 24 hrs. If available, utilize a responsible member or alumni to undertake this preventative measure. Make sure this designated person has the insurance information needed to immediately report a claim in the event of a loss. Once a loss happens, it is important the extent of the damage is control, and this will only happen with timely reporting!
- Make sure the property is securely locked and ask the local police department to check on it periodically to deter vandals and thieves. Don't forget to securely store all valuables! - JG
BACK TO TOP MENU
QUESTION OF THE WEEK? --- I saw something in the FarmHouse Flash newsletter about getting the chapter house ready for the summer, can you provide some more details about what kinds of things other chapters have had happen over the summer to help our guys realize how important this is?
To better expound on how to look at preparing your house for the summer from a risk management/property claims perspective, we've provided a link to a recent memo from Rich Jungman from Kirklin/Hobbs Group. Kirklin & Company is the broker that writes our FRMT liability insurance coverage and serves as the agent providing property and boiler coverage to many of our FarmHouse Associations.
The link details how Fraternities have experienced more than $5 million in property claims in the past six summers. The most notable recent summer claim within FarmHouse was a chapter leaving a basement window partially open and a water hose in the yard. Someone placed the water hose through the window and turned on the outside hydrant, causing significant water damage.
Most summer claims that occur are avoidable - whether they are fires, vandalism/theft or water damage. Chapter presidents, Association leaders and house managers, please review the memo from Kirklin by linking to http://www.kirklin.com/riskmanagementresources/summer_break_warning.pdf --JG
BACK TO TOP MENU
QUESTION OF THE WEEK? --- "Could you share some pointers for chapters on being careful about who comes into the chapter house over the break?"
RESPONSE --- Earlier this week one of our FarmHouse chapters had a suspicious woman drop by the chapter house who was dressed in a police outfit and claimed that she was with the local police department. She said she received a call about a domestic dispute at FarmHouse. She wanted to look all throughout the house and wanted to talk to everybody.
Fortunately, the chapter suspected something was amiss and wrote down her license plate number and contacted the campus police. Turns out the lady was not a police officer. In fact, she had stolen a Class B uniform, bullet proof vest and gun from a neighboring town police department and had recently been released from jail. She was arrested later this week after the chapter's tip. The chapter and association suspect that she was scouting out the chapter house before the holiday break.
Chapter leaders, advisors and association leaders - be forewarned, theft from fraternity houses over the holidays is a growing concern. Be careful who has access to the house over the Holiday break and ensure that someone makes a thorough check of the house daily throughout the break (several times a day if possible).
Water pipe bursts, vandalism and theft can cost chapters, associations and individuals members thousands of dollars if you don't take careful precautions.
For more in-depth information about preparing your house for the break, click on #4 at http://www.farmhouse.org/questions_week2.htm ...
BACK TO TOP MENU
QUESTION OF THE WEEK? --- "As we get ready for spring break, what are some of the things we need to be sure to do by the end of the semester?"
RESPONSE ---
DON'T FORGET:
- Start identifying chapter members and alumni interested in going to Conclave (we had 383 FH and Ceres members attend in 2002)!
- A mid-semester GPA check of all brothers to see where you sit as a chapter and help people see the need to buckle down on academics
- Update your website before summer recruitment kicks into full gear
- Housemother/cook contract, evaluation and renewal
- Founders Day - Doane, Snyder, Skinner awards
- Scholarship Banquet (if separate from Founders Day)
- High scholarship and most improved GPA awards
- Get all of award plaques in house updated and engraved with new recipients' names
- Risk management/alcohol awareness program - complete by end of semester and everyone signs verification form
- Semester-end exec meeting with advisors - to look at achievements, challenges and opportunities
- Spring newsletter - the earlier the better
SUMMER EVENTS:
- Recruitment - please see Page 2 of http://www.farmhouse.org/flash/MAR2003.pdf for recruitment tips
- Work projects - house renovations, cleaning, fundraisers, service/mission projects
- Alumni events - golf tourney/picnic, association meetings, alumni hosting recruitment events
- State FFA Conventions - contact Lorie at 1-800-722-1905 to reserve one of the displays from FH International (consider setting up a joint booth with another chapter if possible - IL and IL State; KY and WKY; WA and ID; TX Tech and TX A&M; TR State and AU; etc.)
ADVANCE PLANNING:
- 43rd Biennial Conclave in Des Moines, IA & IA State - Aug. 11-15, 2004
- Plan date/location for Fall Retreat
- Summer 2004 and Fall 2004 chapter calendars
- Prepare house for summer break
- Summer housing contracts - make sure all brothers in house for summer/non-member tenants understand policies, agree to abide by them and sign contracts
WHAT'S DUE?:
- Official Chapter & Association Voting Delegate form - due April 15, 2004
- Deadline for proposals to change bylaws, policies, etc. - due April 15, 2004
- Community Service Man of the Year apps - due April 30, 2004
- Summa Cum Laude - due at end of Spring '04 semester
- Foundation Scholarship apps - due June 1, 2004
- Conclave Registration Deadline - July 1, 2004
- FH Website Award competition - have your website ready for judging by July 1, 2004
BACK TO TOP MENU
