Kadena legal office offers typhoon preparation advice Published June 11, 2013 By 18th Wing Legal office KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Typhoons can cause a lot of damage on Okinawa. Below are some tips on how to minimize property damage and document loss for claims. - Sheds, trampolines, swing sets, etc: These items must be properly secured. Placing sandbags on the top and tying rope around the walls of sheds will likely keep the shed in one piece. Trampolines can be secured by turning them over and placing sandbags on the canvas and support rails. Swing sets should be anchored down, and if not permanently anchored, they should be flipped over and sandbagged as well. - Shed contents: In the past, many typhoon claims have been presented for items such as TVs and various other items that are meant to be kept inside. These items do not tolerate the high levels of humidity and are to be kept indoors. The only items that should be placed in storage sheds are common outdoor items such as bicycles, lawn mowers, weed eaters, etc. - Pools: Blow-up type pools should be drained and stored inside. Durable plastic type pools should be drained, and sandbags should be placed on the inside base. - Grills: Grills should be taken inside. - Motorcycles: Some of the dormitories have storage facilities for motorcycles. Some people have obtained approval from their units to store their motorcycles during severe weather. Motorcycle owners should find a suitable indoor location to secure their motorcycles from high winds. - Power spikes or surges and power outages: High-dollar value electronic items should not be plugged directly into the wall outlets. It would be wise to invest in a surge protector that is rated for appropriate electronic items. - Food spoilage: Loss of power should be reported to housing maintenance so the amount of time lapsed without power can be documented and power can eventually be restored. Please limit the amount of times the refrigerator and freezer doors are opened because it will help the refrigerator stay colder longer. When preparing for a typhoon, fill the empty spaces with bottles of water, which will help with the refrigeration process. It is advisable to keep a cooler close by and open the refrigerator once and retrieve everything needed for that day. If spoiled food is discarded, the legal office advises people to take a picture of the food in order to substantiate a claim. Those making a claim will be required to substantiate compliance with the above recommendations. Once property is secured, please take a moment to photograph the property, both before and after the items are secured to help support any future claim. Claims regulations prevent payment when claimants are negligent, that is, when claimants do not act as reasonable persons would in the same or similar circumstances. For more information, please call the claims section of the legal office at 634-3300.