Horticultural Asset Management Announces Wildfire Preparedness Program

CARY, N.C. – Doug Malawsky, executive vice president of Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. (HMI), has announced that the company is now offering an innovative tool for evaluating a property’s wildfire preparedness. HMI’s Wildfire Preparedness Assessment (WPA) consists of an on-site evaluation of a property using HMI’s proprietary PDA-based software which collects specific information regarding the property’s compliance with established defensible space criteria. Based on the data collected by a trained assessor, HMI will produce a graphical report detailing any non-compliant conditions as well as provide specific remedial requirements for each property. This valuable information will assist property owners, potential property owners, insurance companies and others to protect property from devastating wildfires.

Establishing a defensible space around a structure is widely recognized as one of the most effective ways to protect it from wildfires. The WPA represents the only standardized program available which provides property owners with a graphical report detailing corrective action necessary to comply with defensible space guidelines. HMI will offer an on-line training course enabling qualified property inspectors, green industry professionals or others, to collect the necessary information. The data collection program was designed to guide assessors around a property and instruct them on what to inspect in accordance with established guidelines. In addition, HMI’s arborist network will be able to provide any necessary remedial services where available to ensure compliance with the guidelines.

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News Facts:

• Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. (HMI) is now offering a Wildfire Preparedness Program.
• The Wildfire Preparedness Assessment (WPA) will provide insurance companies with a tool to protect homeowners in case of wildfire.
• The WPA will follow pre-existing guidelines for creating a defensible space around a home or structure.
• These guidelines are intended to impede the spread of encroaching wildfires as well as the escape of fires from a structure.
• The WPA is the first standardized data collection program of its kind available nationally. A trained HMI assessor will conduct a visual inspection of a property, including trees, shrubs, bushes, plants, dry grass and property conditions, such as wood shingles, visible debris and impeding tree branches.
• The WPA will provide corrective measures to protect a home in case of a wildfire.
• The service will be distributed nationally through HMI’s network of arborists as well as through property inspectors and others.

Quotes:
“We are pleased to announce our plans to complement HMI’s landscape valuation and health assessment tools with the WPA program,” said Malawsky. “As HMI has expanded its role in helping property owners manage their valuable horticultural assets, we became aware of the critical need for this capability. Recent events and current environmental trends demonstrate the need for property owners to actively manage their landscapes to protect their plants and nearby structures. The WPA is an important component of that activity.”

About Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. (HMI):
Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. provides revolutionary products and services that are utilized by green-industry professionals as well as experts in the tax, insurance and real estate industries. HMI’s Horticultural Scientific Standard (HS² ™) enables HMI Horticultural Assessments to provide accurate replacement costs for landscape assets. The replacement cost valuations provided in the HMI Horticultural Assessments can help property owners recover from the loss of landscape assets, and they also provide valuable information to those purchasing properties. Also included in the HMI Horticultural Assessments is the Michael Dirr Plant Guide, with expert information written or approved by renowned professor and author Dr. Michael Dirr. The plant guide provides customized care instructions, as well as photographs and plant descriptions. For more information or to view a sample HMI Horticultural Assessment please visit the Web site at www.moneygrowsontrees.com or call 919-460-5445, ext. 24.

Keywords:
Horticultural Asset Management, HMI, Dr. Michael Dirr, Landscape Assets, Replacement Costs, Landscape Valuations, Risk Management, Castle Inspection Service, Doug Malawsky, Horticultural Assessments, Property Owners, High Value Residential Homes, Horticultural Scientific Standard, Michael Dirr Plant Guide, Wildfire Preparedness Program, Wildfire Preparedness Assessment, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Wildfires

Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
919-233-6600
patty@mmimarketing.com
PR Firms Raleigh, NC

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