HOA Meeting Today!

Reminder: The HOA meeting will be today at 6PM at Dubose Middle School in their cafeteria. For those who voted in the 2008 Presidential Elections, this is where our polling place was as well. Remember to bring your voting ballots for the HOA Board member elections with you, and remind your neighbors about the meeting. be prepared to discuss any issues or concerns you may have, afterall, the HOA can not help with anything that is not brought to their attention. If you are unfamiliar with Dubose Middle School the driving directions are provided below:

Leaving the Bradford Chase Subdivision on Nettles Lane, turn right on to Butternut Road. Drive to 4 way stop and turn Right on to Orangeburg road. Travel down past Pinewood prep and Plum Creek Subdivision. Take the next Right After passing Plum Creek. (You will see signs that will say William Reeves and Dubose Middle). Travel down Dubose School road and Dubose Middle is the school furthest to the back. The Cafeteria is on the far left side of the school. See you there!

3.6 Magnitude Earthquake Felt in Lowcountry

The U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed that a 3.6 magnitude earthquake occurred in Dorchester County at 7:42 a.m. today. The epicenter of the earthquake was four miles south-southwest of Summerville, and was felt throughout the Tri-county area of Berkeley, Dorchester and Charleston Counties. For specifics on this Earthquake, CLICK HERE.

At this time, there have been only minor reports of damage. Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester County officials are working closely with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division and federal partners.

RESIDENTS SHOULD REPORT ANY DAMAGES TO THEIR COUNTY

Charleston County: (843) 202-7400
Berkeley County: (843) 719-4166
Dorchester County: (843) 832-0341

INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO DURING AND AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE

What to do when an earthquake occurs:

If indoors:

Take cover under a piece of heavy furniture or against an inside wall and hold on.

Stay inside.

The most dangerous thing to do during the shaking of an earthquake is to try to leave the building because objects can fall on you.

If outdoors:

Move into the open, away from buildings, street lights, and utility wires.
Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops.

If in a moving vehicle:

Stop quickly and stay in the vehicle.

Move to a clear area away from buildings, trees, overpasses or utility wires.

Once the shaking has stopped, proceed with caution. Avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged by the quake.

What to do after an earthquake occurs:

Be prepared for aftershocks

Although smaller than the main shock, aftershocks cause additional damage and may bring weakened structures down. Aftershocks can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake.

Help injured or trapped persons

Give first aid where appropriate. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.

Listen to a battery-operated radio or television for the latest emergency information.

Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance - infants, the elderly and people with disabilities.

Stay out of damaged buildings - Return home only when authorities say it is safe.

Use the telephone only for emergency calls.

Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches or gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately. Leave the area if you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals.

Open closet and cupboard doors cautiously.

Inspect the entire length of chimneys carefully for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to a fire.

Inspecting Utilities in a Damaged Home

Check for gas leaks - If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor’s home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.

Look for electrical system damage - If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.

Check for sewage and water lines damage - If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.

Helpful Links to track and report Earthquakes:
Earthquake Hazzards Program
Real Time US Earthquake Maps
Earthquake Notification Service

**Also, now would be a good time to review and/or update your homeowners policies to ensure you have the coverage that you need**

HOA Contact Information Now Available

Welcome Residents!

We have finally reposted the contact information for our HOA! Thanks to all of you who researched and provided us with the authorization information that would allow us to provide this to you. We hope that this will encourage all of use this information to keep in contact with our HOA, and participate in meetings and events that will come with the new year. The information is also provided publically via the Bradford Chase Official Website, and is as follows:

HOA Manager: Diane Hommel
Email: bradfordchasehoa@gmail.com
Phone: 843-529-9690
Fax: 843-529-9756

Business Address:

2154 North Center Street, Suite 204B
North Charleston, SC 29406

HOA President: Ray Walsh
Email: walshr@sc.rr.com

Please call or email with any questions or concerns about our community with the above information. This will also be anchored on our left hand panel of this page as well. Thank you for all of your support!

Picking the Perfect (and Safe) Christmas Tree

Now that you have been stuffed with turkey with all the trimmings, it's time to
prepare for the next big holiday... Christmas! One of the most exciting events of the season is picking out the perfect Christmas tree. We will give you a few tips
on selecting the perfect tree, maintaing, safe decor and disposal.Picking out a Tree. Before leaving home to pick out your Christmas tree, take measurements of thearea in which you will place the tree to ensure it will fit. If you wish to purchase your tree from a retail lot, there are a few things you should check for when selecting your tree:

Check to make sure that the needles and branches are flexible when bent. If
they snap, the tree may be dehaydrated and will not last very long. A dry tree may be a fire hazzard when decorated with lights.

Check the stump of the tree. Look to see if the stump is at least 6" long
and is sappy. A sappy tree is a fresh cut healthy tree.

Hold the tree up and tap the stump on the ground a few times. Observe to see
if needles are falling off. Run your hand down the needle branches. It is normal for a few brown needles to fall, but if an excess falls, avoid that tree!

Once you pick your tree, and get it home, prepare it by trimming stray branches and cutting 1" off the stump. This allows for better water intake. For easy disposal afterwards, open a tree sized disposal bag on the floor and place your tree mount in the middle. Select a secure stand that holds at least 1 gallon of water. It is normal for most fresh trees to consume 1-2 gallons of water during the first 24 hours.

There are several Tree Farms in the area in which you can pick and cut your own tree. You can visit the Lebanon Christmas Tree Farm north of Goose Creek at 843-688-5088 and Tomlison Farms in Ridgeville at 843-871-4223. Visit http://www.scchristmastrees.org for more information.

Decorate your tree with ornaments and lights that are safe for your tree and household. If you have little ones or pets, please keep in mind the precautions while selecting your decor. For lighting, it is safest to use UL listed mini lights with low heat. Never use candles or any open flame near your tree.

Keep you homes safe by checking all lighting, ornaments and other decor before using every year. Enjoy the wonderful holidays while picking your perfect tree!