Sound Community Bank Notices
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FLOOD WARNINGS FOR THE DUWAMISH/GREEN RIVER
10.08.2009 - Many homes may be in danger of flooding this winter with the newly projected flood plain of the Green/Duwamish River. The Army Corps of Engineers plan to release more water than normal into the Green River drainage this winter to minimize the stress on the damaged Howard Hanson Dam. Even homes outside the designated Federal Flood Zone may experience flooding this year since the downstream levee system was not designed to accomodate this additional water flow leading to major potential flooding.
If your home is at risk, there are some things you can do to help minimize any damages. Your home is a valuable asset and it is worth protecting.
First off, check to see if you have Flood Insurance. Most standard homeowners' policies have no coverage for flooding. If you don't have coverage, we strongly recommend that you add it this year. The premiums vary, but in many cases the cost is less than $50 a month. Remember, it usually takes 30 days for flood insurance to go into effect, so you'll want to act quickly.
Some Resourceful Links:
- Flood Smart - government resource for flood insurance information.
- Green River Information - up to date flood and river conditions, as well as a flood plains map.
City Guides for Flood Information (including sandbag pick-up locations and town hall meetings):
For more flood information call the King County Flood Warning Center at 1-800-768-7932.
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Protect Your Personal Information By Securely Disposing Your Documents
Shredding information from the Washington State Attorney General:
“Dumpster diving,” or rifling through trash cans for personal information, is a tactic used by identity thieves. You are taking a terrible risk if you don’t shred sensitive material.
Invest in a shredder for your home or office, preferably one that “cross cuts” (slices in two directions), and destroy all sensitive information including bank and credit card statements you no longer need, carbon-copy charge receipts with your account information, insurance forms, physician bills, etc. If your shredder can’t handle plastic, use scissors to cut up expired credit and identification cards before discarding them.
For larger jobs, consider hiring a commercial shredding company.
In short, destroy all sensitive information including junk mail and paperwork that includes:
- Account numbers
- Birth dates
- Passwords and PINs
- Signatures
- Social Security numbers
To protect your privacy, you should also consider shredding items that include:
- Names
- Addresses
- Phone numbers
- E-mail addresses
How long should I keep sensitive documents?
When sorting through dusty file boxes or the pile of papers on your desk, it’s easy to become confused as to which records you need to keep and those you should shred. Read our guidelines to help you determine how long to keep records.
Can I recycle shredded paper?
That depends. According to the City of Seattle's Web site, confetti-like pieces from cross-cut shredders have no retrievable fibers for recycling. Cross-cut shredded paper can be added to yard waste carts or garbage. Other sources indicate that shredded paper can be recycled if its bundled, so check with your waste service provider.
Here are some suggesting for re-using shredded paper: Substitute for tissue paper in gift bags or baskets, ship fragile items, line your hamster's cage, add it to a worm composting bin, kids' art projects, such as stuffing pillows or bean bags.
Some commercial shredders pulverize paper. Others cross-shred. Many commercial shredders transport the destroyed documents to a recycling center to be used as paper or other products. Check with individual companies per their procedures.
Below is a list of specific items to consider shredding for your safety and privacy:
- Address labels from junk mail and magazines
- ATM receipts
- Bank statements
- Birth certificate copies
- Canceled and voided checks
- Credit and charge card bills, carbon copies, summaries and receipts
- Credit reports and histories
- Employee pay stubs
- Employment records
- Expired credit and identification cards including driver’s licenses, college IDs, military IDs, employee badges, medical insurance cards, etc. (If your shredder can’t handle plastic, cut up cards with a scissors before discarding them.)
- Expired passports and visas
- Legal documents
- Insurance documents
- Investment, stock and property transactions
- Luggage tags
- Medical and dental records
- Papers with a Social Security number
- Pre-approved credit card applications
- Receipts with checking account numbers
- Report cards
- Resumés or curriculum vitae
- Signatures (such as those found on leases, contracts, letters)
- Tax forms
- Transcripts
- Travel itineraries
- Used airline tickets
- Utility bills (telephone, gas, electric, water, cable TV, Internet)
