IBHS News Releases

“People and businesses need to realize that making the right choice will protect them and their property from catastrophes,” Harvey Ryland, president and CEO of the Institute for Business & Home Safety, told the 2000 Congress on Natural Disaster Loss Reduction, held in Newport, R.I., September 14 and 15.

The theme of this year’s annual Congress, sponsored by the IBHS, was “Disaster Safety: Choice or Chance.”

“People do have choices, but to act on them, they need to know and understand them,” said Ryland.

Ken Amylon, IBHS chairman and senior vice president of Amica Mutual Insurance Company, observed that few people would leave to chance the security of their investments or the adequacy of their health care.

“Ironically, many of these same individuals and more than a few businesses see their exposure to natural disasters in distinctly different ways,” he said. “They witness the power and capriciousness of natural disasters and assume that their risk of financial loss and injury is simply a matter of chance. They’re wrong.”

New products and techniques are now available to better protect people, homes, businesses and entire communities. Not taking advantage of these techniques is “a choice to remain a victim of chance,” said Amylon.

He pointed out that to achieve positive change in building codes, land use planning and construction techniques, IBHS and others must continue to change the assumptions of individuals and businesses regarding just how powerless they are – or aren’t – in the face of natural disasters.

“No one needs to be a passive victim of the random chance represented by natural disasters,” said Amylon,” at least not when there are better choices available.”

The Institute for Business & Home Safety is a nonprofit initiative of the insurance industry to reduce the social and financial costs of natural disasters.