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As victims of recent disasters have found, being without your
birth certificate, social security card or bank account numbers after a major
or minor disaster can be a huge problem.
But with this checklist, you'll be able to make a completely
accessible repository all of your vital documents and communications that you
can use, whether you're dealing with a simple medical emergency, or with a
major disaster and need your important documents to start over. Let's begin by gathering all of your important documents. Here are the types of documents you need to
secure.
Optional
Household Inventory Since you want to make sure you have what you need in an
emergency, the idea is to put this information in places that will be
accessible to you, even if you are unable to get inside your home. As a first-line of defense, make two copies of all of the
information you gathered from the list above and put them in two secure
locations. The first location should be a
safe deposit box or water/fireproof safe in your own city. The second location should be a safe deposit
box outside of your area or state. During
Hurricane Katrina, many of the banks ended up being as inaccessible to
customers as their homes were. As secure as those locations are, hard copies can sustain
damage. And with concerns about identity
theft, you may also be wary about placing delicate information like identification
and credit card numbers out of your sight.
So how do you secure your vital documents while making them
accessible? Simple. Just scan each document onto a CD or flash drive,
then password protect it and store that data it in the locations mentioned
above, either along with, or instead of the hard copies. While you're at it, make an extra copy of the
data and store it with your records at home.
If an emergency strikes, first grab the kids and pets, then the CD/flash
drive, and then Grandma's silver! If you have a video camera, videotape a walking tour of your home,
featuring the home and any pricier possessions you have. This will show claims adjusters what you have
and its present condition, as well as jog your memory of the things you had
that would need to be replaced. Do you want to know the biggest impediment to safeguarding all of
the things you hold dear?
Procrastination! Taking fifteen
or twenty minutes today to take care of business, can save you days, months or
even years of pain. Finding and safeguarding your vital documents is just ONE way to keep you and your family safe. We have many more... How about Grab it and Go Forms to capture medical history, insurance, financial and vital documents for every member of the family, that can be filled out by hand, or by computer, secured and ready whenever you need them? Or customizable emergency action plans, home inventory, tips, checklists and printable wallet cards. Check out our Ready In 10 System.
Laura and Janet Greenwald, are the founders of The Next of Kin Education Project and Stuf Productions. The mother & daughter team were not only instrumental in enacting three Next of Kin Laws in California and Illinois, but created the Seven Steps to Successful Notification System, which teaches quick, easy, next of kin notification skills for trauma patients to hospitals like Dallas’ Methodist Medical Center. |
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