The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) give advice on how to plan for the aftermath of a disaster.
Once the immediate danger passes after a hurricane or other disaster, having important documents such as insurance policies and property records will be crucial to help anyone start the recovery process. The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA advise that taking time now to safeguard critical documents will give a person peace of mind and help avoid additional stress during the difficult days after a disaster.
If the home is damaged by the winds and rains from a tropical storm or hurricane, a survivor would need documentation to request assistance from insurance providers and from government disaster assistance programs. Store important documents either in a safe deposit box, waterproof and fireproof portable container or at another location separate from your home.
Store electronic copies of important documents in a password-protected format on a removable flash or external hard drive in a fireproof and waterproof box or safe, or consider using a secure cloud-based service. Be cautious about sharing personal financial information, such as a bank account number, Social Security number or credit card number.
Make sure that insurance policies and personal documents, such as ID, are up to date. In addition, take the time now to think about the priceless personal items you would want to protect from damage or take with you if you had to suddenly evacuate your home.
Take time today to take an inventory of household documents, contacts and valuables and put yourself in a position to start your recovery process quickly and efficiently if a disaster impacts your home.
Learn more about safeguarding critical documents in English at https://go.dhs.gov/4rA or in Spanish at https://go.dhs.gov/4rP.
