Canadian Underwriter
Feature

A Call to Duty


July 31, 2011   by Sean M. Douglas


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The unthinkable had happened. A catastrophic forest fire in northern Alberta had devastated a small town. The residents of Slave Lake, Alta were displaced, the town torn apart by forest fire. In the initial hours after the evacuation, I had a sense of responsibility and duty.

For years I had been training and mentoring younger, junior adjusters and it was time for the “mentor” to roll up his sleeves, and practice what had been preached.

CAT 47, as it was now called, would prove to be an important chapter in my insurance career, serving as a reference point going forward and lesson in humility and humanity.

It had been several years since I had experienced any “CAT” work. In my early years as a junior adjuster and staff adjuster this was common work, having attended to Southern Manitoba flooding, several hail storms in Calgary and Edmonton and, most recently, the flooding in the Fraser Valley. There was some limited exposure to the forest fires in Kelowna, BC, though that was several years ago. It would be these life experiences that would provide direction and confidence.  

Within several days of the fire event, a considerable number of partial and total losses were beginning to be reported.

After agreeing to go to Slave Lake to help with the claims process, there were both personal and professional details I needed to work through.

First, my family. I would be called to Slave Lake for a considerable period of time. Initially, it was only two weeks. However, many trips over a period of one to two years are anticipated.

As a manager of a smaller branch, arrangements also had to be made with my local clients and staff to handle the daily workflow of my day-to-day claims.

A wonderful staff of managers, adjusters and support staff greeted me in Slave Lake at one of the larger, local hotels. All of them had arrived several days earlier and had done the arduous task of finding accommodations and offices. They had set up the computers, infrastructure and equipment we would need to be efficient. They had also begun setting up claims files and contacting policyholders.  

Peter Karges, our national manager, had the overwhelming responsibility of managing the office and organizing and directing the staff as we all arrived from every corner of the country. Countless hours, many late in the evening, were spent working to this project was successful;  that our commitment to our client and to the policyholders was met. I must congratulate both Peter and Walter Waugh, our vice president of operations (Western Canada), on this exceptional success.

The purpose of an adjuster is sometimes blurred in the competitive insurance industry. Fundamentally, we help people. This is why most of us in the claims industry do what we do. It is this overtone that drove me day in and day out while in Slave Lake. It was what gave all of us the energy and the determination to work late into the night, rising again in the early morning hours to continue on.

The internal pressures, attempting to deliver this to the devastated residents saw all of us at Crawford work without complaint late into the night and rose early in the morning to continue our endeavor to do all we could.

Much has to be said, and many praises to be made, for the emergency response personnel in Slave Lake. Without their efforts, quite possibly, there wouldn’t have been a town left. The forest fires raged through the center of this small, northern Alberta town and their amazing efforts must not be overlooked.

Our team

Greg Thierman, Kelowna, B.C. branch, Michelle Bradford, Edmonton office, and I were given the duty and responsibility of handling the residential total losses in Slave Lake for our client. Greg himself had experienced the Kelowna fires, and was a great source of reference and support for us all. Melanie Bean of Vancouver,  Neil Hagerty of Red Deer and Ariff Mawji of Toronto rounded out our adjusting troops in Slave Lake. We were also supported by a team of quantifiers who dealt strictly with premises while we focused on policyholders. Peter Singh from our IT department was sent to Slave Lake to get our remote office up and running. It was a total team effort.

Other adjusters from our Edmonton office were also involved in the response, acting for numerous other clients, insurers and third party accounts. Len Raymond of our global technical services (GTS) group in Edmonton handled the Slave Lake Hospital claim. This was one of the first reported – and extremely important – as the hospital was considered vital infrastructure and had to be operational before the residents of Slave Lake were allowed to return home.

Bruce Sunderland, GTS in Calgary, was also involved in commercial claims for several control accounts.

After arriving and settling into my home away from home in Slave Lake, I anticipated the morning’s first appointment and prepared for it. I wanted to ensure these appointments were sincere and empathetic, and as purposeful as possible.

Our days were filled with appointments from early morning to late evening, all in efforts to see the unfortunate victims’ of Canada’s largest forest fire event as soon as possible. We wanted to convey to them that not only was their insurer prepared to fast track the claims procedures for them, but to also reassure them that I would do my very best for them and would be there for them through the claims process.

I’ll never forget my first visit to the fire area. Due to the extensive damage caused along the eastern area of the town, the entire neighborhood had temporary fencing erected along the perimeter. Entrance was strictly limited and guarded by “Commissionaires.” Signed waivers were required for entrance, and in the first few days there was concern about air and soil quality.

As I entered the gate on Parkdale Avenue the scene around me was that out of a horror movie. In my 22 years of handling fire losses and large claims, never before had I imagined the site that was before me. It was as if a bomb had gone off in the middle of this unassuming town. For blocks, all that was left were empty foundations, ash and burnt remains of what used to be expensive cars and trucks.

The civic authorities had the impossible task of sorting through the debris looking for bodies. Every foundation and building site was nearly empty. It was such a strange sight to see empty foundation after empty foundation. This was all that was left, but that would be the first step towards rebuilding the homes of the town. Simple foundation measurements and a few photos would begin the process of renewal. That goal was accomplished with the assistance of many.

Slave Lake reminded me of Fort Frances, Ont. where I grew up and so I  found myself “at home” while in Slave Lake. This helped with some of the loneliness and stresses we all found in our day-to-day activities while there.

The people in Slave Lake were remarkable, resilient, hard working and ready to rebuild their town and lives. From the first meeting to the last, I found everybody to be willing to do what they had to do. I felt an unbelievable sense of pride at being involved in the rebuild. The radio advertisements reminded everybody of the independent nature of the townspeople and that they would rebuild and be stronger than ever. At stop signs up and down the Main street, young children had colored signs thanking the emergency response teams and all that pitched in to save their the Town. It was these little reminders that pressed us all into action and gave me a sense of pride. I knew the personal and professional sacrifices we all were making, were appreciated.

Our client had arranged immediate emergency claim advances. The efficiency in which this had been agreed to, and arranged was considerable. The insureds noticed. The funds were much needed and truly appreciated
by all who received them. What was first thought to be an emergency-evacuation type of claim(s) turned out to be full scale catastrophe, in varying degrees of devastation.

The pressing issues at hand proved to be accommodations and emergency funds. We would also listen to the many stories shared by all. In a town of 6,700  people1, semi-permanent housing was and still is the biggest issue we faced. There are many questions still unanswered. My goal prior to leaving the area after my first trip to Slave Lake would to be sure all of my claims had housing arrangements, funds, understood the process and were realistic in their expectations. Not only with respect to what I could do for them, but how the policy should respond and the time frames in which we could actually clean up and start construction.

This promise was kept. I will continue to keep the focus of these claims in my thoughts, as we move forward to work through the many hurdles and issues regarding Slave Lake.

I have handled hundreds, if not thousands of fire claims since my first year as an adjuster in 1989. These fire claims were different. They required special attention due to the sensitive nature of what had happened to the town. There had been 3722 destroyed houses in the town, as well as several businesses, the Municipal Hall and dozens of others in the outlaying areas.

The Town of Slave Lake has been working closely with the various insurers, as well as the Insurance Bureau of Canada. The fire ravaged areas had been organized into “zones” which would dictate the commencement of any demolition and also dictate reconstruction. To date, reconstruction has not begun. It’s quite likely that rebuild will take up to 24 months given the supply and demand for contractors, labour force and construction materials. This then triggers the question of the “same site restriction” on the insurance policy.

With a community north of the 55th parallel, a building season is five to six months, with winters being cold, windy and unpredictable. As we creep into the summer months, and the reality that any reconstruction may not start until early fall, it is hoped that a few foundations can be poured. This will allow at least a few homes to be framed throughout winter, and resume removing basement foundations and carrying on with construction in early 2012.

A return trip is being planned soon to Slave Lake and I’m confident the people will have a renewed energy with the developments and progress made in the weeks since my departure. The attitude of the area is that “we will rebuild” and we will.

Slave Lake will return as a gem in northern Alberta, and the insurance and construction industry will play a crucial role in that renewal. We must never lose sight of the fact that insurance adjusters exist to help people and work closely with them in their time of need. This basic principle taught to me so many years ago, will keep me going until this project and CAT realizes its completion.

Sean M. Douglas is a managing professional and senior adjuster with Crawford and Company (Canada) Inc.

1. StatsCan 2006 community profile
2. Town of Slave Lake recovery news


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