The purpose of having an emergency fact binder is to have all the paper that make up your life and the lives of your family together in case of an emergency. WE may not have much warning when we need to exit our homes in the face of eminent danger. When we return and have to piece back what was our life, having the notebook will ease the hassle and let you feel as though you still have some control over your life. You will not be in a helpless situation, but rather in a situation of action.
To make the notebook you will need the following:
2" or 3" rind binder
plastic page sleeves
subject divider
pocket pages
CDs or DVDs
Your first task is to identify and copy all those things that hold valuable information. If you have a scanner, you can copy them onto a disk. After you have made copies, return your documents to the water and fireproof safe containing your personal files.
This first list contain the items that need to be kept in a safe:
- Birth certificates
- marriage certificate
- baptism certificate (if applicable)
- diplomas
- death certificates
- wills
- life insurance policies
- stock certificates
- deeds
- contracts
- loan documents
- articles of incorporation (business docs)
- patents
- copyrights
- savings bonds (if you should have any of them get rid of the now and buy precious metals)
- appraisals of precious goods or antiques
It is a good idea to make a video of your home and possessions. Jewelry, collectibles, appliances... Keep this video in your safe.
Taking the time now will certainly reduce the amount of stress when disaster strikes.
Take the photocopies/ disks and put them into a another fire/water proof file box (something portable that you can grab in a hurry).
Then add original documents or copies of the following to the binder:
- immunization records
- passports
- warranties
- school transcripts
- medical records
- blood types
- eye glass Rx
- contracts
- bank records
- credit card info
- tax records
- utilities info
- Christmas card list
- durable power of attorney
- veterinary records
After you have compiled everything, put it them into a portable safe. I also recommend that you keep $100 in small bills in this safe as well as a few silver ounces.
Quote of the day:
In planning, forming, and arranging laws, deliberation is always becoming, and always useful.
James Wilson, Lectures on Law, 1791
In the news:
Obama Again Inflates Number of Uninsured Americans--Falsely Claiming '46 Million of Our Fellow Citizens Have No Coverage'
No comments:
Post a Comment