IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS SHOULD ALL BE PHOTOCOPIED AND/OR TURNED INTO DIGITAL DATA AND STORED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS TO ENSURE THEY, LIKE YOU, WILL SURVIVE A DISASTER. MOST DISASTERS A FAMILY WILL FACE ARE SMALL AND LIMITED ONES SUCH AS A HOUSE FIRE, TORNADO OR FLOOD.
STEP 1
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ROUND UP ALL IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS:
1)BIRTH CERTIFICATES
2)SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS
3)TITLES AND DEEDS TO VEHICLES AND PROPERTY
4)MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES
5)EDUCATION CERTIFICATES
6)DD 214 FOR THOSE WITH MILITARY SERVICE
7)LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES
8)HEALTH INSURANCE CARDS
9)HOME AND CAR INSURANCE CARD
10)DRIVER'S LICENSE / IDENTIFICATION CARD OR GREEN CARD
11)PASSPORT
12)PICTURES (USUALLY ABOUT 100 OR SO PICTURES OF FAMILY AND SUCH THAT YOU CHERISH THE MOST BUT "ALSO" INCLUDE AS RECENT AS POSSIBLE, PICTURES OF YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONE'S AND FAMILY MEMBER'S FACES, MAY NEED TO UPDATE EVERY 10 YEARS OR SO IF THEY ARE ADULTS AND EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS FOR THOSE UNDER 20 TO BE USED TO HELP LOCATE LOVED ONES SEPARATED, MISSING OR KILLED DUE TO A DISASTER)
STEP 2
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PHOTOCOPY ALL THE DOCUMENTS AND MAKE SEVERAL COPIES OF EACH ONE EITHER AT YOUR RESIDENCE OR YOUR LOCAL COPIER SUCH AS KINKOS OR FEDEX.
(OPTIONAL)
SCAN ALL THE DOCUMENTS EITHER AT YOUR RESIDENCE OR AT YOUR LOCAL COPIER SUCH AS KINKOS OR FEDEX TURNING THEM INTO DIGITAL COPIES AND DOWNLOAD THEM ALONG WITH YOUR 100 OR SO PICTURES ONTO A SCAN DISK/THUMB DRIVE/MEMORY STICK/USB DRIVE WHICH YOU CAN GET FOR UNDER $10 AT WAL-MART, 2 GIGS OF MEMORY IS PLENTY.
STEP 3
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FOLD THE STACK OF DOCUMENTS AND PLACE EACH SET OF PHOTOCOPIED AND REAL DOCUMENTS INSIDE SEPARATE LARGE 1 TO 2 GALLON ZIPLOCK FREEZER BAGS AS THESE ARE MEANT TO KEEP OUT MOISTURE AND THEN PLACE THAT INSIDE ANOTHER ZIPLOCK BAG. THIS WILL HELP ENSURE THAT THEY ARE NOT DESTROYED BY FLOOD WATERS.
IF IT IS DIGITAL AND ON A MEMORY STICK THEN DO THE SAME, DOUBLE ZIPLOCK BAG IT
BUT YOU CAN USE SIMPLE SAND WHICH ZIPLOCK BAGS.
STEP 4
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NOW PLACE YOUR ORIGINALS SOME WHERE YOU CAN GET TO THEM EASILY OR GRAB ON YOUR WAY OUT OF THE HOUSE OR PLACE THEM IN YOUR BUGOUT BAG OR PLACE THEM IN A SMALL FIRE SAFE.
GIVE ONE OF THE PHOTOCOPIED SETS TO YOUR MOTHER/FATHER/SISTER/BROTHER OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBER THAT YOU CAN TRUST THAT RESIDES ELSEWHERE, THIS IS YOUR BACK UP SET.
YOU MAY EVEN PLACE A SET IN A BANK DEPOSIT BOX, OR IN A WATER PROOF CONTAINER BURIED IN YOUR BACK YARD, THE CHOICES ARE YOURS BUT REMEMBER THAT DURING THIS AGE OF IDENTITY THEFT SOME PLACES CAN BE MORE HAZARDOUS THEN MAY WARRANT. FOR EXAMPLE, DO NOT PLACE THEM IN YOUR CAR.
NOTES:
REMEMBER THAT WHEN EVER YOU LEAVE YOUR RESIDENCE YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME FORM OF IDENTIFICATION ON YOU.
FOR THE SAKE OF SPACE AND AS A BACK UP, YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE BOTH, A PHOTOCOPIED HARD COPY AND A MEMORY STICK DIGITAL COPY OF ALL YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOS, ESPECIALLY YOUR PHOTOS.
