Sometimes in emergency situations, people do not think how they normally would. We never know how we are going to react in an emergency until it actually happens. In order to prepare for any situation, preparing a grab-and-go binder should be an important part of your family emergency plan. This binder should contain your family’s most important information and documents.
With that being said, it’s time to get organized! We suggest adding the following to your grab-and-go binder:
Financial Documents
- Copies of the front / back of credit cards.
- Copies of house and car titles.
- Copy of your will or living trust.
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of all banks.
- Other important documents related to employment or business.
- Copies of your insurance policies (life, health, auto, homeowners).
Personal Documents
- Names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of relatives and friends.
- Copies of the following:
- Marriage License
- Birth Certificates
- Drivers Licenses
- CCW Permits
- Pet Vaccine Records
- Passports
- Social Security Cards
- List of firearm serial numbers.
- Legal documents pertaining to child custody or adoption.
- Recent photos of each family member and any pets.
- Color photos of your house and each room in the house.
- Photos of anything of particular value.
- Military documents.
- Diplomas and transcripts.
- Appraisals.
Medical Documents
- Copy of health insurance cards.
- List of blood types for each family member.
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of all doctors.
- Medical histories of each family member.
- Immunization records.
- List of current prescriptions, dosage, and pharmacy contact information.
Once your grab-and-go binder is finished, you will have the peace of mind knowing that you and your family can concentrate on a speedy evacuation without trying to retrieve important documents. Remember that being prepared is your best chance for a quicker recovery in any disaster situation!