Thursday, May 19, 2011

What documents should you keep close at hand in an emergency


One of the most important things to consider when thinking about Hurricane preparedness is what you need to preserve if something happens to your home. Fema has a great list on their website to help you get started. It is important to have all your documents filed before an emergency situation. You may also want to make copies and put the originals in a safety deposit box with the bank. This is a great practice in any season. 

If you are not a US citizen, it may be even more important to keep your immigration documents in a safe place. Most government many not be as efficient in helping you get a new one. Here is a checklist of the most important documents and items to preserve:


Item
Stored
Personal identification

Cash and coins

Credit cards

Extra set of house keys and car keys

Copies of the following:

Birth certificate

Marriage certificate

Driver's license

Social Security cards

Passports

Wills

Deeds

Inventory of household goods

Insurance papers

Immunization records

Bank and credit card account numbers

Stocks and bonds

Emergency contact list and phone numbers

Map of the area and phone numbers of places you could go




If you only have an idea where all these documents are, start putting them together now. Get a copy if all your insurance documents from your insurance providers and share them with your spouse if applicable. It is important that you are both on the same page on the protection available for your family. 


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