Being ready is crucial when a natural disaster occurs, whether you are staying in your house or facing the challenge of evacuating with uncertainty about returning home.
Kathryn Van Marter, spokesperson for FEMA, emphasizes that all regions within the country are susceptible to different types of natural calamities. Therefore, it is crucial for every individual to possess a ‘go bag’ that comprises essential documents like financial information and prescriptions.
To begin, start by making a comprehensive list of all your documents, contacts, and valuable items. Take the time to carefully inspect both your electronic and physical files, extracting the essential documents mentioned in the following list. If you discover any missing items, request duplicates as needed. Ensure that your insurance coverage is current, download any necessary banking or credit card applications onto your phone, and obtain printouts of any bills that you pay automatically, as these will serve as a helpful reference.
FEMA recommends including the following items in your go bag, then proceed to pack all of them.
Why do you need a “Go Bag”?
Household Documents
If you need to identify yourself or your family members, it is important to have documentation for everyone in your household, including pets.
Vital Records
The required documents consist of birth certificates for each individual residing in the household, a marriage certificate or divorce decree, and paperwork pertaining to adoption or child custody.
Identification
Please be sure to bring all necessary identification documents, such as passports, driver’s licenses, Social Security cards (which are required for disaster relief applications), green cards, and military identification.
Pets
Remember to bring proof of ownership, vaccination records, and identification tags for your beloved pets.
Financial Documents
FEMA suggests having an Emergency Financial First Aid Kit, which is essentially a financial equivalent of a medical first aid kit.
Housing
In order to be well-prepared, make sure to gather all necessary paperwork pertaining to your place of residence, such as mortgage documents, the deed or rental lease. Additionally, it is advisable to have property tax documents, homeowners or renters insurance, flood insurance policies, as well as appraisals, photographs, and a comprehensive list of valuable belongings that you possess.
Car
To ensure the same meaning is maintained, here’s a step-by-step rephrasing of the provided text: 1. Include your loan or lease documentation, your car’s title (if you are the owner), the vehicle identification number (VIN), a copy of the vehicle’s registration, and your auto insurance in the submission.
Income
If you are applying for disaster relief from FEMA, you will need to have a few recent pay stubs and documents that show any government benefits, alimony, or child support you receive. It is important for FEMA to have information about your income before taxes.
Tax Statements
In order to proceed, it will be necessary to have copies of your federal and state income tax returns from at least the previous year, along with receipts or statements indicating any vehicle tax payments made by you.
Estate Planning
Make sure to include a copy of your will or trust, together with any living wills, legal and medical power of attorney documents, and a copy of your life insurance policy, when packing.
Financial Matters
To ensure that FEMA can make direct deposits, you will need to provide details regarding your bank accounts, including routing and account numbers for both checking and savings accounts. Additionally, it is important to provide debit card information, as well as documentation confirming your investments or retirement savings.
Other Financial Obligations
When considering your expenses, it is important to think methodically, maintaining the same information and avoiding any additions or omissions. Ensure to include details about credit cards, student loans, utility bills, alimony or child support payments, and any automatic payments like gym memberships.
Cash
In order to be prepared for an electrical outage or any other problem that hinders the functionality of ATMs and credit card machines, it is wise to secure a supply of cash, preferably consisting of smaller bills.
Medical Documents
For individuals who require medical assistance or prescription refills, it is essential to possess accurate and current medical information for both themselves and their family members.
Contact Information
Ensure that you keep a record of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all your doctors.
Prescriptions & Allergies
Create a distinct record containing the medications, dosage details, and the pharmacy for each family member. In case of any medication allergy or other allergies, make sure to include a remark.
Immunizations
Make sure to have records of the dates and types of immunizations for all members of your family.
Caregiver
When you enter into an agreement with a caregiver service, such as for the purpose of providing eldercare, make sure to include this documentation.
Special Medical Needs
If you or someone in your family has a disability, ensure that you possess any relevant documentation associated with it. Additionally, take care to mention any specific medical equipment or devices that may be required.
Insurance
Ensure that you possess duplicates of your health, dental and eye insurance documents, any benefits received from the VA, as well as copies of your Medicare or Medicaid cards.
Legal Information
Make sure to keep a copy of any living wills and medical power of attorney by thinking step by step.
Other Items
Ensure that you have a basic disaster kit readily available. This should consist of an adequate supply of food and water for each member of your family for a three-day period, in addition to a manual can opener, moist towelettes, garbage bags, a battery-powered or hand crank radio, and a NOAA Weather Radio equipped with a tone alert. Also, be sure to include a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit, and a whistle (to be used as a distress signal). If the air becomes contaminated, it may be helpful to have a dust mask, as well as plastic sheeting and duct tape. Additionally, remember to pack local maps and chargers, along with extra batteries, for your cell phones. Lastly, it is advisable to have a wrench or pliers to shut off utilities before leaving your house.
After you Go Bag is prepared – remember to maintain it.
- Keep canned food in a cool, dry place
- Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers
- Replace expired items as needed
- Re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.
Be ready on Red Flag days
It is important to be prepared during a red flag day, which is when weather conditions can lead to high risk of fire.
- Put Your Go Bag in or near your Car
- Review Your Evacuation Checklist
- Put Important Documents in an Area that Can be Quickly Loaded
- Ensure Phones are Charged
- Ensure Car is Gassed up
You’ve been notified to evacuate
Please remember to bring these items if you have enough time available.
- Cash, credit cards or traveler’s checks
- Easy to carry valuables
- Family photos or irreplaceable items
- Important documents (birth certificates, passports and electronically saved records such as insurance policies, titles to property you own, bank account records, home inventory, etc)
- Computers or computer information on hard drives
- Fire extinguisher
