Being prepared is not only necessary but will also provide you
with peace of mind during this stressful time. When and where
a disaster might strike is impossible to predict. You might have
only a few minutes or a couple hours' notice to gather your
family, take what you can and make your way to a
safe location. Keep in mind hurricane season runs from June to
November.
By creating an emergency bag, you'll have all of
your important documents and files ready to go whenever you
need to leave home in a hurry. An emergency bag is made up of
your most important and irreplaceable papers,
photos, mementos, and a backup of your computer. You will
also need a camera to take pictures of the damage to the
property after the disaster. It's best to keep these items in
plastic, ziploc bags. We recommend you use the two-
gallon bags as they will easily protect and secure most of your
folders, files and papers. Put the bags in a waterproof and
fireproof lockbox. If you don't have one, we recommend you
pick one up, or consider double-bagging
these valuables.
Imagine how hard life would be after a
disaster without insurance papers, birth certificates and your
computer files. To protect your family from that nightmare,
your emergency bag should include:
- Apartment and condo leases
- Home or other property deeds (mortgage, etc.)
- Estate documents
- Homeowner's or renter's insurance documents
- Wills
- Life insurance policies
- Inventory of possessions and their value
- List of important phone numbers (family, friends, etc.)
- Flood Insurance documents
- Vehicle titles, leases, loan documents, etc.
- Financial statements (accounts, checks, tax returns, etc.)
- Stocks and bonds
- Copies of recent bills (power, water, etc.)
- Government financial assistance award letters
- Birth certificates or proof of citizenship
- Social Security cards
- Employment contracts or other legal documents
- Medical records, x-rays, benefits documents, etc.
- Education reports (report cards, acceptance letters)
- Passports
- Duplicate prescriptions from doctor
- Backup computer files (on a CD, DVD, etc.)
- Paperwork for your pets (medical records, registration, etc.)
- Copies of important keys
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