Fires in Life: Prevention, Elimination and Restoration
Let’s talk about fires. Not the kind that burn down buildings, but the personal fires in our lives. They come in many forms—financial setbacks, unexpected illness, the death of a loved one. And like real fires, the key to managing them is simple: prevention, elimination and restoration.
Prevention
When we built-out our office in 2002, I learned something new. As a commercial property owner, I was required to have fire extinguishers in specific places throughout the building. Not only did a fire extinguisher company install them, but they also inspect them every year - tagging and replacing units when necessary.
On top of that, our local fire department visits twice a year. They don’t just glance at the tags. They go room to room, even into the basement, to make sure we have proper prevention systems in place. They remind us not to stack items where they didn’t belong, not to overload extension cords and not to overlook small risks that could spark bigger problems.
That’s exactly how we should approach our lives. Prevention means anticipating what could go wrong and taking steps to reduce the risk before it becomes a crisis.
Elimination
Even with prevention, fires can still break out. That’s where elimination comes in. In a building, that means having extinguishers on hand. In life, it means having the right protections in place—insurance, emergency savings, a plan to replace income if you’re unable to work due to a possible disability.
We don’t like to think about it, but death and disability are not “what ifs.” They’re “when” and “how prepared am I?” Having the right coverage doesn’t just eliminate financial flames. It gives families peace of mind when the unthinkable happens.
Restoration
Finally, there’s restoration. Sometimes the fire happens despite our best efforts. That’s when insurance, savings or other safety nets allow us to rebuild and return life to what it was before.
Homeowners insurance typically won’t make your house “better than” it was after a fire—it restores it to what you had. Auto insurance typically does the same after a wreck. No one wants to walk away from a situation where they had to use their homeowners or auto insurance coverage feeling like they were left with ‘less than’, i.e. less home or less car.
The Takeaway
I’ve often heard people say they’re “insurance poor” (meaning they feel they have too much/too expensive insurance coverage). The truth is, insurance can’t make you poor—it’s there to make sure that what you already have worked hard to get is restored to you. Insurance will never try to cover you for an amount more than what you currently have.
Prevention, elimination and restoration aren’t just goals for firefighters. They’re a framework for how to live wisely. Let us help you see the risks, prepare the solutions and restore what matters most.
Because in life, just like in a building, fires are inevitable. The only question is: will you be ready when they come?
