How to prepare for Natural Emergencies
Power outages, floods, earthquakes......
Over the years, this area has been effected by a number of natural diseasters. Where do you go for information?
Historically, local radio station KSCO (1080 on the A.M. dial), has been the main source of information about local school closures and other relevant information. If we have torrential rains, strong winds, trees down, power outages, and street flooding, the school might be closed for a day. You can check with KSCO early in the morning for a listing of school closures.
Sometimes, if the local event is significant enough, Bay Area radio stations KGO (810 A.M.) and/or KCBS (740 A.M.), have covered Santa Cruz County news.
Several websites are excellent sources of information to help you prepare for what may happen. They include the California Department of Emergency Services, the Department of Health Services, FEMA, the ASPCA, and P.G. and E. Here are links to these websites:
The "Red File"
The Red File is something that has been around for a while. It was mentioned on a television news program in conjunction with information for people in Southern California who were in/near the devastating forest fires. It's information we all need available in times of emergency.
The Red File includes copies of everything that is necessary for you or your family to rebuild your financial and operational life in the aftermath of an event that either limits your access to your home and/or office, or destroys your home and/or office. What you need to do with The Red FileŽis discussed in other handouts, and at www.theredfile.com. The following is a "suggested" list of items to be included in the file and should be used only as a starting point for your personal situation. You will need to adjust the list to cover all aspects of your life.
Copies of:
* Birth certificates for everyone in your household
* Social Security
Cards for everyone in your household
* Marriage certificate (hopefully,
there is only one!)
* Religious certificates (e.g., Baptism, Ketubah,
etc.)
* Adoption papers (if applicable)
* Drivers licenses for everyone
in your household (color copies)
* Deed to your residence (first few pages
containing the municipality ID numbers for the location of the property)
* Mortgage documents and other loan documents * Title for cars owned by
everyone in your household
* Insurance policies and agent/agency contact
information
* Health insurance, prescription and/or other benefit cards
* Credit/Debit/ATM cards (color copies, both sides)
* Inventory list of
household items, and personal items at office
* Photographic inventory
of household and office items
* Tax returns for a minimum of three years
* Wills, Living Wills, Health Care Proxies, Letters of Instruction, and
Powers of Attorney
* Trusts for which you are a trustee, or in which you
have a beneficial interest
* Location of safe deposit boxes with the
names of authorized signatories (and the location of the keys to the
boxes)
* List of contact information for all advisors, executors, trustees and
guardians
* Recent bank statements and brokerage statements
* Several
blank checks from each checking account (not copies)
* ID cards issued
by your banks
* Documents that prove ownership of private placements and
alternative investments
* List of all User IDs and Passwords for access
to all electronic based information formats
* A complete list of assets
and liabilities, with a footnote for each item (containing details of
ownership and the contact information for all persons and entities
relevant to the ongoing status of that asset or liability)
* Photographs
of everyone in the household and all others for whom you are responsible
* Photographs and health records for household pets.
Make two copies of everything you place in The Red FileŽ. You will need to keep one file in your possession and you will send the other file to a trusted family member, friend or fiduciary.
If you choose to use an electronic format to store this information, you should include the storage device (e.g., CD, floppy disk, flash drive, etc.) in The Red FileŽ as an addition to the physical paper copies.
Please remember that the above list is not "all inclusive". Some of us
have very simple lives, and some of us have extremely complicated lives.
Some of us will be able to use an envelope or small box to complete our
file and some will need a large trunk! Review all aspects of your life
and determine what paperwork would be crucial to the ongoing financial
health and operational needs of you and your family.
Start now!!!