General Disaster Preparedness
by Kathy Paauw

Don't know where to start to prepare for a possible natural disaster? Here are a whole range of suggestions.

Just because you're a good record-keeper doesn't mean you're a good safe keeper of records. Can you snatch up all of your important financial records in five minutes, if necessary? Not likely. Identify a single location to file all crucial papers -- preferably a fireproof portable container.

Checklist documents to include:
___ Bank account records
___ Birth certificates
___ Credit-card statements
___ Employer benefit statements
___ Identification records (driver's license, green card,
passport, etc.)
___ Income tax information (past returns, proof of
estimated tax payments)
___ Insurance policies
___ Investment records
___ Marriage certificates or divorce decrees
___ Mortgage and other loan information
___ Report of earnings from Social Security
___ Social Security card
___ Titles, deeds, registrations for property and vehicles
owned
___ Trusts
___ Wills

1. Create copies now (a certified copy in the cases of birth certificates and other crucial documents) in the event that you need them to provide to government agencies.

2. Put important original documents in plastic covers to protect them and to prevent you from accidentally giving away the original.

3. Notify the appropriate people as to where important information will be located in case you're not available when it is needed.

4. As you go through your day, be aware of the kinds of information that you should add to your filing system. Identify a method, such as an index card in your pocket or mini tape recorder in your car, to make notes of new items as they pop into your mind.

5. Identify the records that you or your financial institutions keep only on computer. Because they may not be available if electrical power fails, make printouts. Collect important personal papers and information related to financial transactions. For example, keep a paper record of insurance premium payments with the policy. A system error may result in showing you as uninsured.

6. Create a file of paper-based records of anything you own so you can prove ownership whenever necessary.

CONTACT NAMES (create a hard copy with this information):
Power, light, gas or other utility companies
Banks and other financial institutions
Employer
Insurance agents
Alarm system
Doctors
Minister, Rabbi, or Priest
Neighbors, friends
Relatives
Social Security Office

FOOD:
Have a five-day supply of food (including some non-perishable food) on hand for each member of your household, including pets.

Have one gallon of water per person per day for up to five days. Keep stored in a cool dark place. Stored water should be refreshed every six months.

A full bathtub can provide water for flushing toilets. In the event of a power outage, keep refrigerators and freezers shut, and open only when necessary.

If power goes out, eat perishable foods first, then canned foods.

Have an ample supply of propane or charcoal and lighter on hand for outdoor cooking in the event of a power outage. Never use open flames or charcoal grills indoors, as this may cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

SUPPLIES (for home and car):
Flashlights
Batteries
Blankets or sleeping bags
First-aid kit
Fire extinguisher
Transistor radio and batteries
Paper plates, plastic utensils
Manual can opener
Gas in your car

HOME:
Realize that any or all of these items will not work in the event of a power outage and have batteries on hand as needed or make appropriate adjustments to your lifestyle should you be without them. For example, keep a manually operated can opener, battery-operated clock and radio, and an old-fashioned percolator on hand.

Fire and security systems
Electric heat and air conditioning
Appliances
Consumer electronics
Garage door openers
Electronic locks
TV's and VCR's
Clock radios/radios
Coffee pot
Answering machines/voice mail systems

MEDICINE & HEALTH:
Have at least a five-day supply of prescription drugs on hand.

If you are on kidney dialysis or need regular medical care, have a plan in place for getting your needs fulfilled.

FINANCES:
Keep paper records including financial statements, insurance, stocks, and Social Security records. Don't wait until a crisis occurs to request paper copies.

Have enough cash on hand to carry you through at least two weeks. Keep as much as you feel comfortable with, but be sensible about how much cash you keep at home. You could become a prime target for robbery and theft.

There may be problems with ATMs so hold on to all ATM receipts and reconcile your accounts monthly. Be sure to have a paper trail showing your account balances.

Back up your accounting system regularly if computerized and print transaction journals so if you have a system failure or power outage, you still have the information available.

Keep paper records of investments as proof of holdings and acquisition costs Request documentation on the amount of your Social Security and Medicare accounts so you can verify that your account.

Carry at least one credit card.

EMERGENCIES:
Listen to local radio stations for updates and instructions.

Be prepared to relocate to a shelter for warmth and protection during a prolonged power outage or if local officials request or require that you leave your home.

Don't call 911 unless you need emergency assistance. Use your time on the phone or on computer modems to a minimum. Leave the lines available for emergency calls.

Learn how to turn off your household gas and water. Be sure to have the gas company turn the gas back on so pilot lights can be re-lighted at the same time.

Examine smoke alarms now. If yours is hard-wired, does it have a battery back-up? If so, is the battery fresh?

These and other precautions will help you and your family remain safe and secure in a world that could be turned upside down in a split second. Advance preparedness could even mean your family's survival and must not be taken lightly.

- The Staff at Filter Solutions