It's cooling down here in SWLA and relief from 100 degrees is definitely welcome but don't be fooled. Cooler does not mean our drought is over.

We are still dangerously lacking in annual rainfall and the humidity is severely low for this time of year, making fires of any sort, a hazard. 

In fact, the burn ban is still in effect across the entire state except for Allen and Ascension parishes! Check out last month's post for more information.

One great thing about fall is the cooler temps will help us avoid hurricanes, although we still need to be aware and alert for Gulf storms. So, stay prepared!

Some folks are not a fan of colder temperatures and will be using their space heaters from here on through winter. Please be aware of safety measures when it comes to heating your home.

Many choose fall for their family vacations. If you're one of them, check out our travel tips and have a wonderful time!

Medicare AEP is open and it's time for Medicare recipients to review their coverage. If you are in need of a local Medicare agent, give us a call. Remember, you only have until December 7th to make changes to your Medicare insurance coverage. Don't put it off until the last minute and risk losing out on benefits that may be available to you!

With fall comes Halloween and then we barrel into the Holiday season. Remember, kids will be out and about more and more as the year comes to an end. Stay alert and practice safe driving and holiday safety.

As we move into the last quarter of 2023, we here at Curtis Insurance know and understand the value of kindness and gratitude and we'd like to take this time to Thank YOU ALL for your patronage. We appreciate your business and ask if you are happy with our services, please consider leaving a Google review.

Until next time take care and remember.... in life you receive what you give, multiplied, therefore give good things, loving thoughts, kind words and deeds.

Tommy Curtis and Staff

Back in 2018 we did a blog post on fire safety. At that time, we referred to indoor/house fires. We’ve been in a drought for months and under a burn ban for nearly as long, so today, let’s look at outdoor fire safety.
 
On August 14th, Gov. John Bell Edwards declared a state of emergency due to the impact of extreme heat and wildfires in Louisiana. The entire state is under a burn ban.
 
The four major wildfires in SW & Central Louisiana are still active and have burned nearly 50,000 acres combined.
 
For decades now, we’ve seen commercials with Smokey the Bear educating us on how to prevent forest fires. Seems those tips need to be uppermost in our minds until the fall rains appear and the drought is over.
 
So how can we do our part to prevent wildfires and help those fighting them?
 
*OBEY the burn ban! Even a “small” trash pile can become a raging fire with one tiny shift of wind. Do. Not. Start. One. PERIOD. According to officials those caught disregarding the burn ban will be fined or jailed or both.
 
*LISTEN to the news and remain vigilant of evacuation orders in your area should a fire erupt. Firefighters and law enforcement have enough to worry about in protecting homes. They do not need to be concerned with recovering bodies too. Homes can be replaced. Lives can’t.
 
*KEEP your own fire-fighting equipment on hand and up to date. Most of us have a fire extinguisher or two hanging around. Have them checked to be sure they are sufficient to use should the need arise. Water hoses and buckets of sand are quick and easy ways to put out a small fire. Once you extinguish the blaze, check often to be sure no embers or coals are still ignitable.
 
*BE CAREFUL while using gas-powered equipment such as tractors, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, edge trimmers, etc. Starting them can cause sparks. Hot mufflers can ignite dry grass. This goes for riding four-wheelers and other ATV’s in dried out fields.
 
*HAVE an evacuation plan and supplies ready. Just like leaving for a hurricane or another natural disaster, being prepared is your best option. Pack a couple of bags with clothing, personal items, medical and legal papers, nonperishable food, etc. and keep them in a place where you can grab them and go. Check out our previous tips for hurricane preparedness, moving and travelling for more ideas.
 
*BE CONSCIOUS of water conservation requests or requirements in your area. Watering lawns, filling swimming pools and the like are not smart when in a drought or during a fire emergency. Firefighting crews need all the help they can get to contain and control the flames.
 
*BE VIGILANT weather-wise. Although rain is much needed, lightning is one of the dangers of a storm system. Keep your eye on the sky and if you see lightning strike a tree or something, do what you can, but don’t try and be a hero. Call local authorities for back up.
 
Although the burn ban on grilling has been lifted in some areas do not leave your grill unattended and keep the fire-fighting equipment/items mentioned above handy.
 
I never thought I’d see fires like these burning up our state. Please be considerate, vigilant, and wise in everything you do to help ensure the safety of your family and neighbors.
 
Thank You,
Tommy Curtis and Staff

​Spring is in full bloom and the days are getting longer. Kids are out running around and playing ball or throwing a frisbee in the yard. Perhaps roaming the neighborhood on their bicycle.
 
What they shouldn’t be doing is dragging the roads on a golf cart, 4-wheeler or any other ATV made for operation by a licensed driver!

And yet, we see this all the time.

Louisiana law states that all golf cart drivers must have a driver's license for safety purposes and that 4-wheelers and other ATV’s can be driven on the shoulders of all public roads and highways except interstate highways for the purposes of farm-related activities within a five-mile radius of your farm, provided that you possesses a valid Class “E” driver’s license.

According to a report dated Sept. 2022 by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), more than 3,000 have been killed as a result of ATV accidents between 1982 and 2015; 4 kids go to the ER every hour with injuries sustained in riding or driving an ATV. The Mayo Clinic states that children account for nearly one-third of all ATV injuries and one-quarter of ATV fatalities.

Another thing for parents to beware of is, if your child is riding his or her friends around on your ATV and that friend gets injured or killed, YOU may be held liable.

No one intentionally puts their or someone else’s child in danger. We teach them to be careful and obey the rules we put in place. But kids will be kids and they will test those boundaries. Therefore, if you’re going to disregard the law and take matters into your own hands with your child’s life, for goodness sakes, make them wear a helmet and other protective gear!

And be sure you have adequate life insurance on them in case the unthinkable happens.

Until next time, take care and remember one moment can change your entire life.

Tommy Curtis & Staff

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ALL material on this blog is available for informational purposes only.
 
Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc.
{A Life and Health Agency}
 
Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information.
Not connected or affiliated with any United States Government or State agency.
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*By contacting us and providing information, you agree that an authorized representative or licensed insurance agent may contact you by phone, e-mail or mail to answer your questions and provide additional information about Medicare Advantage, Part D or Medicare Supplement Insurance plans.

As a newly licensed agent years ago, I learned the definition of Insurance is “shared risk.” This was never more demonstrated than when Hurricane Rita hit in 2005. I remember that time like it happened yesterday. The stress of evacuating with a husband only weeks out of the hospital from having a defibrillator installed to keep his impaired heart working. Coming home to damages to my house, loss of food and electricity, no one to fully assess our loss (remember my husband couldn’t climb a ladder or anything). Thankfully when I called our insurance company at the time, and explained our situation, they sent someone out right away and we were treated very well. Then there was the delight of returning to work and having to hop from one desk to another because the office was inundated with claims agents. They worked long hours in the office and in the field, checkbook in hand, anxious to help our valued clients get through one of the biggest and meanest hurricanes to hit the Lake Area in nearly fifty years.