On Tuesday, August 8, 2017 at 3:16:45 PM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Your experience is similar to what I encountered with two serious fires.
Both were considered total losses. We had people there 24 hours to
keep vultures away. Admittance even to employees was limited for safety
reasons. Once everything was inspected, cleared by the Fire Marshall we
could salvage some materials, machines, etc. but the insurance company
also had people that came in to dispose of everything


Right now, in a straight line of about 35 feet is the neighbor's house. It didn't burn to the ground, but from flame/water/smoke damage, it was decided a total loss. Half the structure burned down and other half is standing but completely unsafe. So the Fire Marshall taped it off and warned that no one could enter. As a courtesy, the fire department came out (a great gesture by some great guys) and grabbed some things for them. Two days later the looters were there. They took the Fisher Price tools that were smoke damaged but no melted, damaged furniture and some stuff from his backyard. The insurance guys sent out another "team" to plywood over the broken windows and patio door for a second time. A week later the house was broken into again, the neighbor called the police, but the thieves got away. This time they took canned goods (in rusted cans), towels, and some more toys, as well as his wife's underwear (water logged and all).

While to a contractor or woodworker the slightly damaged tools are
potential great bargains or gifts from the tornado gods, to the insurers
it it all about money and settling claims.

Amen. And in a commercial situation where everyone figures businesses are made of money (and of course resulting in any litigation possible) the insurance companies want all liabilities closed as soon as possible. I understand both sides of the equation and especially wanting to lessen any liabilities.

But still, it galls me to see waste that sometimes occurs. I don't care about some scavenger that hovers around like a buzzard to see if he can benefit from someone's tragedy. But it gives me an intense amount of heartburn to see tools or merchandise that can be brought back to life by some time, attention and effort. I have run across a lot of folks over the years that have rebuilt bandsaws, table saws, etc., and even gone to the point of painting them their original colors when finished with their restoration. Hard to explain to those guys that the small table saw that just has the paint scorched and a rusted top that it has to go to the dumpster.

Having lived through two total looses (1976, 2007) I can say I never
want to have to do it again.

That is absolutely awful. I can't imagine that... I was flooded out a few years ago but didn't lose //everything//. And one event so close to the other...
OUCH.

Robert