By: Anthony Reeves, Esq.
For those of you who don’t live on a coastal state, we are OFFICIALLY in the FULL SWING of Hurricane Season. However, as a native of Arkansas (i.e. Tornado Alley), I understand how crazy it can be when a natural disaster strikes. The one thing that is common amongst every state in the Union is that you are susceptible to a natural disaster. Whether it’s mudslides or wildfires, hurricanes or tornadoes, earthquakes or flooding, and a myriad of crazy things in between, natural disasters can literally shake the foundation of your life in a matter of minutes.
The most important thing you need to know is that as long as YOU are okay, everything else is replaceable. However, when your life has been greatly altered by a disaster, the hardest thing to do is to reconstruct what you’ve lost.
As crazy as it may seem, taking just a few simple steps can not only greatly help you rebuild your life but also help you help someone else:
1) Where in the world is the WEATHER?!
This statement seems weird but ask yourself this question, do you KNOW what natural disasters may affect your loved ones?? Sometimes, you need to be prepared to know what type of disasters your loved ones may be exposed.
2) Put your CRUCIAL documents in places in areas that may be weather safe!
If you’re like me, then you probably have documents all over the place. You know where they are but you never think about what you need to get if you have to leave on a dime! Put your items in fireproof or water proof container so that you can leave on a moment’s notice and not have to worry about the elements affecting your documents.
3) Don’t sleep on a safety deposit box.
When have you ever heard of items in a bank safety deposit box being destroyed by a disaster??? These boxes are designed to withstand explosives, fire, and the elements so why not put your items that you really need in a safety deposit box.
4) “ON THE GO” Kit.
Here’s a drill for you. If you had to run out the door in 60 seconds, what would you absolutely MUST have with you when you leave? Now, I bet after you think about it for a few minutes, you’ll realize that that list is longer than you think. Take a second and get the things you need in one spot. Things like insurance cards, social security cards, insurance policies, lease / mortgage, credit cards, etc.
5) Itemize what you own.
Can you list EVERYTHING you own off of the top of your head? You think it’s crazy when you move, try reciting everything you own to an insurance company when your home has been destroyed or significantly damaged. It’s a pain but take a few minutes to itemize everything.
6) Check your insurance policies NOW!
Are you sure your policy covers your property through a storm? Does it cover wind or water or both? How about mudslides or earthquakes? Don’t wait for the emergency to happen and THEN get your feelings hurt when you find out your policy doesn’t cover the disaster. Find out now.
7) Contact Calls and Contact Phone numbers
Ok, I know we live in Cell Phone Central and Twitterville, USA but imagine a situation where the TOWERS go down and the internet is gone. Whatcha gonna do now?? Keep a land line available in your home if possible and more important, ensure you have a list of people who will expect a call from you in the event of a disaster.
8) The Joy of the Virtual Universe
As silly as it may seem, the joy of ‘ZIP DRIVES’ makes it possible to save the things on our computer that we may need. Remember the good ole days when we used to copy things on floppy disks and CDs? Now, you can use your USB and 5 or 6 GB drive that can be used to take anything sensitive off of your computer. Also, if you scan things to your computer, you now have a copy of the document that you can put on your key ring.
Natural disasters are devastating and can be even more traumatic when you are trying to put your life back together. Take the steps now to make sure you have a head start.
