Hurricane Gustav spares Alabama Gulf Coast

Whew! What a relief to have Hurricane Gustav past us. The Alabama Gulf Coast came away in great shape, and that is something to be thankful for. Of course, there are folks in neighboring states who were not as fortunate. And, unfortunately, there will be those who will try to take advantage of the situation. Scam artists are always looking for an opportunity, an opening. A natural disaster provides them many chances to rip off someone who is suffering misfortune. There are a lot of great resources available for finding qualified help at www.thebeachiscalling.org. The tab set up for Hurricane Gustav information has the numbers for many officials in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. Anyone who suspects a scam artist is at work should notify officials immediately. It was good to hear state and local leaders come out before the storm hit and take a strong stance against scams and price gouging. We should be grateful for the leadership displayed. To avoid being taken advantage of, those who need the services of tree removal crews or contractors should look for licensed, bonded companies. The “Alabama Links” button at the bottom of the homepage of www.thebeachiscalling.org takes visitors to links for the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores as well as the local Chamber of Commerce. These agencies can provide information and assistance to help head off scams.