Amica & All Hands and Hearts Support CA Wildfire Relief

Amica Insurance announces its expanded partnership with disaster-relief organization All Hands and Hearts by providing funding for a program focused on California wildfire relief. Amica has donated over $300,000 to All Hands and Hearts’ disaster resiliency initiatives over the last two years.

This most recent donation is being allocated to Paradise, California, the town devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire, which was one of the deadliest and most damaging wildfires in California’s history. After more than two years, only about 400 of the 14,000 homes destroyed in that fire have been rebuilt, and the community remains at risk of future wildfire destruction.

All Hands and Hearts’ relief efforts include interior repairs for damaged homes, as well as wildfire mitigation projects, such as felling and removing trees. The program includes chainsaw training for future relief work so the organization can quickly assist more people in more places.

“We greatly appreciate Amica's continued generosity, which most recently helped enable us to launch a pilot program for wildfire relief,” said Erik Dyson, Chief Executive Officer at All Hands and Hearts. “With the support of dedicated partners like Amica, our volunteer-powered teams are able to complete mitigation work that significantly reduces the likelihood and scale of damage from a future wildfire, as well as meet critical unmet needs following the devastation of the Camp Fire."

“Amica is committed to disaster resiliency and the long-term recovery of those individuals who are affected by these catastrophes,” said Nicole Fleming, Corporate Social Responsibility and Events Manager at Amica. “That’s why we’re proud to partner with All Hands and Hearts in addressing the full cycle of disaster relief, including preparedness, response and recovery.”

More than 100,000 wildfires occur annually in the U.S., and 2020 saw the biggest fire season ever recorded in California’s modern history: Over 4.2 million acres were burned and more than 10,000 structures were damaged or destroyed. As part of National Wildfire Awareness Month, Amica is sharing these tips to prevent wildfire damage in and around your home:

• Clean debris from gutters, downspouts and roofs. Leaves, twigs and litter act as fuel for fires caused by wind-borne embers.
• Keep leaves, firewood, propane tanks, boats, playground equipment and other flammable materials at least 30 feet from your home.
• Trim tree branches to at least six feet above the ground.
• Replace flammable wood bark and rubber mulch with gravel, brick or concrete.
• Use fire-resistant materials to build, renovate or make home repairs.
• Assemble a fire or storm toolkit, including N95 respirator masks to filter harmful airborne particles. Include critical supplies like medications, inhalers, etc., for people and pets.
• Store important documents in a fireproof safe.
• Review community evacuation routes and shelters, and research alternate ways to leave the area.