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 No
one knows when
a disaster will strike. Many times there are only brief moments
to put a disaster plan into action. Even at this time, you will
probably be thinking about your safety and the safety of your loved
ones. You will probably not be thinking about your personal belongings,
money, and important documents. These next pages will give tips
on how to keep these important items safe, as well as what steps
to take to protect your property, and what steps to take after a
disaster has occurred.
Even
though, your safety is the most important worry in a disaster,
these documents and other items may not only have sentimental
meaning, but they also could be vital to your financial security.
Photographs and family such as jewelry and old correspondences
have great sentimental value. These things are family treasures
that hopefully, will be around for many decades to come. Important
documents such as titles to cars, deeds to houses, birth certificates,
and stock and other bank certificates are necessary to show
ownership, prove identities, and insure future income and
investments. These are the things that should be made safe
prior to a disaster, so that they are not an issue when trying
to put recover from a disaster.
 There
are several ways to keep these types of things safe. One such
way, is to have a lockable, durable "evacuation
box" to grab in the event of an emergency. Even
a cardboard box would do. Put important papers into the box
in sealed, waterproof plastic bags. Store the box in your
home where you can get to it easily. Keep this box with you
at all times, don't leave it in your unattended car.
Renting a safety
deposit box is a good idea to store original copies
of important documents and small valuables. Deciding on a
safe and convenient location is an issue. You may want to
consider renting a safe deposit box in a bank far enough away
from your home so it is not likely to be affected by the same
disaster that strikes your home (for instance, bank vaults
have been flooded). Keep the key to the safe deposit box in
your evacuation box. Home safes and fire boxes. Safes
and fire boxes can be convenient places to store important
papers. However, some disasters, such as hurricanes, floods,
or tornadoes, could destroy your home. Usually, it's better
to store original papers in a safe deposit box or at another
location well away from your home.
If
you have time...
Some disasters, such as
tornadoes or earthquakes, strike with little or no warning.
Others, such as floods or hurricanes, may allow some time
to prepare. If there is enough time, you could take the following
actions:
Decide what household items you would put on a very short
priority list. For example, imagine you could take only one
suitcase or pack a single carload. What would you take? Involve
the whole family in this discussion. Some of the things that
may be considered important are jewelry, family heirlooms,
photos, important documents, and a battery operated radio
to stay abreast of the situation. Don't worry about things
like furniture and clothing, as they can be replaced.
Another item to have
on hand in case of emergency is money. After a disaster, you
may need cash for the first few days, or even several weeks.
Income may stop if you can't work. It is good to have several
different resources available so that if one is not available,
there is still a way for you to finance your family after
a disaster. Please
click here for more disaster money tips.
 Despite
these measures, there will still be items in your home that
are much too large to move in case of emergency. This is why
it is important to take measures to physically protect your
home. One of the first things to do is find out what disasters
could strike where you live. This will allow you to focus
on specific tasks about your house.
Please click here to view a general list of things that you
can do to protect your home.
It
is also important to make sure that you take an inventory
of all of your important items and valuables. There are computer
programs and software that is designed especially for this
job. They are readily available at many computer stores. Also,
remember to make more than one copy of the inventory. Should
the disaster destroy your home, there will be another copy
that you can get to if need be. File one in a safety deposit
box, and leave a copy with close relatives. But still, after
all of these precautions, you are still not completely safe
from disasters. Pleaseclick on"Post-Disaster Financial
Tips" link to the left to bcome aware of how to go about
financially recovering from a disaster.
Lastly, make sure that your
property is insured. Even with adequate time to prepare for
a disaster, you still may suffer significant, unavoidable
damage to your property. That's when insurance
for renters or homeowners can be a big help. Yet,
many people affected by recent disasters have been underinsured-or
worse-not insured at all. Homeowners insurance doesn't cover
floods and some other major disasters.Make sure you buy the
insurance you need to protect against the perils you face.
To
view more information on types of insurance, click here.
All
information obtained from the American Red Cross
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