Know what supplies you have and how much you're going to need. Get that stuff soon. Don't put it off, he said.

There's going to be a level of bureaucracy worse than you ever imagined. Insurance workers will be kind, of course, because it's not personal. It's just the system.

Call them constantly. Don't expect them to call you, he said.

The Maddys lived in a basement apartment with their animals until finally rebuilding their house in February.

"Going through all of that almost broke us," he said. "Almost. 'Cause we're still here."