On June 19th and 20th the NORMIPro Environmental TASC Force hosted two Free Public Seminars and a CMI contractors class in Monmouth County NJ. It was well attended by members of the public and officials from several non-profit and government organizations. Channel 12 News covered the event.
We noticed a lack of credible information and consistent direction for the victims of Super Storm Sandy in the NJ/NY Metro area. Many untrained and uninsured contractors have been offering quick, but inadequate solutions to the desperate property owners. Victims of Super Storm Sandy are continuing to be victimized by unqualified contractors because of the lack of contractor regulations and a feeling of urgency to resolve problems as quickly as possible. The uncertainty caused by the stress of decision-making is causing emotional stress and other health issues for the victims. Without the proper information, homeowners don’t know whether to hire a contractor, repair it themselves, wait for the insurance adjuster, or wait for the government to release funds. When help does come, a homeowner with faulty information is unable to defend themselves against the inadequate solutions being offered.
Public education, contractor training, and consistent regulations are desperately needed in the industry. Our goal is to help the agencies supporting the disaster recovery efforts and the law makers in achieving these goals. The best tool in the disaster recovery process is information.
We want to thank all of the attendees that were at the events on the 19th and 20th, and again extend our support to the agencies working with the recovery efforts.