Imagine this scene: The doorbell rings at 3 a.m. to wake you from a deep sleep. You peek out to see a fireman in full gear standing at your front door. He tells you that your neighbor’s house is on fire and you must leave your home immediately.
Would you be prepared for a situation like this? If you had to evacuate your home in the middle of the night, what would you take with you? Would you have the important information needed to recover if your home was destroyed?
This happened to me a few years ago when I lived in Garden City. We had time to put on shoes and grab my husband’s wallet and my purse as we were ushered out the door. But that was all we had. Thankfully, our home was not damaged, but afterward we reflected on how unprepared we were for that evacuation. Since then, we’ve taken steps to be better prepared for disaster.
September has been designated as Disaster Preparedness Month. This month, several Ellis County residents are participating in the Prepare Kansas online challenge from K-State Research and Extension.
We’re completing weekly tasks to prepare our families and property in case of disaster. But even if you are not participating in an official preparedness program, you can — and should — take action to become better prepared for emergencies.
Here are some steps to help protect your family’s financial situation now and be able to recover and rebuild after a disaster:
1. Rent a safe deposit box. Keep originals of important legal documents, deeds, titles, birth and marriage certificates, passports, property appraisals and other irreplaceable papers in it.
2. Take inventory. You’ll need good records of your belongings after a disaster, both for insurance claims and to prove losses on your tax return. To get started, photograph or videotape every wall of every room of your home. Don’t forget the basement, attic, garage, outbuildings, etc. (It takes less time than you think — I photographed my entire house and garage in about an hour and a half.) Open doors and drawers to photograph the contents of dressers, cabinets and closets. List large appliances and electronics with model or serial numbers, appraisals, receipts or other records to prove the value of these items. Update your home inventory annually and store the images on a flash drive in a safe deposit box or other safe location away from your home.
3. Make a grab-and-go kit. Assemble a set of your important papers in something you can quickly grab and take to the basement in case of a storm or take with you if you have to leave your home. Use a durable, sealed waterproof box, bag or briefcase. Put in copies of important papers that can help your family manage without access to your home for a long period of time. (Note: keep this information carefully secured and protected against unauthorized access.)
Things to include in your grab-and-go kit might include:
• Identification and other key documents that may be needed to prove identity and restore records, including copies of your driver’s license, social security cards, citizenship or naturalization papers or passports.
• Copies of important legal papers such as birth certificates, deeds, mortgage documents, powers of attorney, wills and other papers which might be required after a disaster.
• Copies of medical prescriptions, including eyeglasses and contacts.
• Copies of children’s immunization records.
• Copies of insurance cards and policies, including phone number of insurance agents.
• Copies of the front and back of all credit, debit and ATM cards.
• Account information and phone numbers for all financial accounts.
• List of important telephone numbers (family members, medical providers, attorney, religious adviser, etc.)
• List of monthly bills, contact information and when they are due.
• A copy of your home inventory– written and/or photos.
• Safe deposit box key, box location and names of authorized signers.
• List of electronic access user ID’s and passwords.
• Pocket notebook and pen or pencil.
I hope a fireman never knocks on your door in the middle of the night. But my experience emphasizes the importance of being prepared. Taking time now to make sure your financial documents are up-to-date, accessible and ready to grab and go can save a lot of time and frustration in the event of a fire, storm, flood or other emergency.
For more information, see the K-State Research and Extension publication “Get Financially Prepared: Take Steps Ahead of Disaster,” MF3055. Use the search function at www.ksre.ksu.edu or contact the Ellis County Extension, 601 Main, at (785) 628-9430.
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.