To add to Skunkape's last posting, here's my emergency checklist/precautions list that I send to friends moving into hurricane/earthquake prone areas:
1) Safety deposit box w/ copies of important documents etc. A firesafe/box is a good idea, but not so helpful in a tornado, flood etc. I keep copies at a relative's house, on my laptop, and on the internet by emailing it to myself. (Internet is good because you can access it from anywhere, but is not very secure - okay for copies of lease etc, photos for insurance, health insurance info, contact info - not for sensitive financial docs as most email sites are easily hacked).
2) Renter's or content insurance - your landlord's insurance or your homeowner's insurance typically does not cover your stuff, just the structure. Not only get it, keep a copy of the info OUTSIDE your house.
3) Emergency credit card and cash. It took some people more than a year to get emergency housing from FEMA and shelters aren't fun. ATMs run out of cash fast (and don't work w/ no power) and criminals take advantage of disasters to pass bad checks so most businesses want cash, a Visa or a Mastercard.
4) Photos that document your home, valuables etc. in case you need to make a claim. With digital cameras and huge free email accounts there is no reason to not have this available. Without photos it's hard to prove you lived in a Taj Mahal instead of an ancient doublewide.
5) Basic health information & several days supply of medication. You should know your blood type, any medications, conditions & treatments. In an extreme example, there were people who don't know exactly what kind of cancer they had or how it was being treated post-Katrina. The insurance companies/doctor's offices are trying to set up a national database, but you need to know this stuff for emergency care.
6) Pre-planned evacuation locations, especially if you have pets - they are not allowed at shelters or welcome at most lodging. You should make hotel reservations several days out to guarantee lodging in case of a hurricane evacuation.
7) A contact outside the affected area you can check in with. It can be difficult to get through because that area code gets overloaded. It's much easier to call Georgia to check on a Florida person than it is to get through to a neighbor or loved one in an area code that everyone is calling and has downed phone lines and cell towers.
8) Backups of irreplacable photos etc. My albums are in Florida, my negatives are in another state.
9) A good source of local information. Local internet message boards (like Sowal
), sheriff's department website etc.
10) Know in advance what you would take in an evacuation. You should be able to make the decision to evacuate and be on the road w/in several hours. If this is not possible you need to make some different decisions about what you're trying to take with you.
11) Several days supplies of items like pet food, baby supplies, etc. Don't assume that a relative or evacuation destination will have these items readily available.
Always plan for the worst and hope for the best!
