Emergencies don’t wait for a convenient time. They show up suddenly, whether it’s a hurricane barreling toward Houston where I live, a wildfire forcing everyone out fast, or even just a middle-of-the-night trip to the ER. People lose their heads in those moments (I’ve seen it happen plenty around my own house), and the extra adrenaline makes it hard to think straight or grab what you really need.
That’s exactly why a Grab-n-Go Binder is still one of the smartest, most practical things you can put together for your family. Updated for 2026, this one spot holds all your critical documents, family info, and now some easy digital backups so you’re not scrambling when seconds count. I’ve helped thousands of moms get theirs organized over the years. Let’s get yours ready too, with a fresh checklist and tips that make it simple.
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Updated February 2026.
In this article
- What is a Grab and Go Binder?
- How to Organize Your Binder (Step-by-Step)
- What Should Be in an Emergency Binder?
- Why This Matters Now in 2026
- Emergency Binder for Seniors & College Students
- How often should it be updated?
- A Digital Backup
- Digital Binder Do’s and Don’ts
- Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
- FAQ
- Get Extra Help Creating Your Grab-and-Go Binder
- Related articles for more support and guidance
People lose their wits in panic situations. You’ve heard of “fight, flight, freeze”? Those responses are caused by the amygdala in our brains firing off such rapid messages that our bodies respond in ways that very often make a bad situation worse. Those are the moments when your advance preparation kicks in, and that’s exactly why a Grab-and-Go Binder is worth its weight in gold.
I’ve seen it happen way too many times around my own house and with friends: the extra stress hormones make your mind foggy, your hands shaky, and suddenly the simplest things feel impossible. But if you’ve already got that binder packed and ready, you just grab it and go. No thinking required in the heat of the moment, like an oncoming storm with 50 miles per hour winds. It gives you back control when everything else feels chaotic, and honestly, that peace of mind alone makes putting one together one of the easiest, smartest prepping steps you can take.
What is a Grab and Go Binder?
Great question!
A Grab-and-Go Binder is a binder that contains all of your most critical information in one place for any type of emergency, even if it’s just a quick trip to the ER.
- Need the latest version of an insurance policy? It’s there.
- Have to drop the dogs off at a kennel on your way out of town for an emergency evacuation? Those records are all in the binder.
- Want a handy reference of the various supplements and medications everyone takes? Yep, that’s in the binder, too.
Unless you’re extraordinarily organized, these records and documents are likely scattered around your house right now. Set aside a block of time to track them down and organize your family’s binder. Emergencies arrive unexpectedly. A Grab and Go Binder is one way you can prepare for them ahead of time.
How to Organize Your Binder (Step-by-Step)
The easiest way to get started on this binder project is with my printable pages ready to fill out (by hand or use my fillable forms), add copies of vital docs, and then organize in a 3-ring binder.
The supplies are inexpensive and you may already having everything you need on hand right now.
- A 2-3″ three-ring binder
- A set or two of tabbed dividers
- Plastic page protetors
- Originals or copies of your vital docs as listed below
- Waterproof/fire-resistant binder or portable lockbox
- Small portable scanner — HIGHLY recommended!
- Printable grab-and-go worksheets (optional)
Label a divider for each of the following sections, and then begin inserting copies of your documents.
The binder you create will be unique to your family, but here are some suggestions to get you started. Tracking down these documents will be the most time-consuming step.
What Should Be in an Emergency Binder?
Financial Documents
- Copies of the fronts and backs of debit/credit cards
- Copies of house and car titles
- Mortgage information or any other ownership documents
- Copy of your will or living trust
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of all banks and their routing numbers
- Copies of your insurance policies (life, health, auto, homeowners, etc.) and agent phones numbers and addresses
- List of all bills, due dates, addresses, phone numbers
- Last year’s tax returns
- Crypto wallet backup/access details
- Appraisals of heirlooms and other valuables
- Other important documents related to employment and/or a family business
Personal Documents
- Names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of relatives and close friends. They’re likely stored in your phone, but if that battery dies, it will be handy to have a hard copy.
- Copies of:
* marriage license
* birth certificates
* drivers licenses
* CCW permits
* pet vaccine records
* passports and Known Traveler numbers
* Social Security cards (request a replacement card with ssa.gov) - List of firearm serial numbers
- Legal documents pertaining to child custody or adoption
- Recent photos of each family member and each pet
- Color photos of your house and each room in the house
- Photos of anything of particular value
- Military documents
- Diplomas and transcripts
- School district contact information
Medical Documents
- Copy of health insurance cards
- List of blood types for each family member (If you aren’t sure, you can buy a blood-type test kit on Amazon.
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all doctors
- Medical histories of each family member
- Vaccine records
- List of current prescriptions, dosage, and pharmacy contact information
- List of current supplements, peptides, or other holistic meds
Other Item You Might Want to Consider
- SD card that has a movie of your home and its contents as well as your children, for insurance and identification purposes
- Fingerprints
- Written family communication plan, including a hard copy of a phone tree
- A Visa or MasterCard gift card for $100+ as a form of cash — an extra margin if you need a hotel, gas, or food while on the road
- Evacuation routes
- State maps and surrounding states. GPS is awesome but an internet outage might cause it to be unavailalbe at the worst possible moment.
In a world of passwords and cloud storage, paper still works when everything else doesn’t.
Why This Matters Now in 2026
Emergencies today look different than they did even a decade ago. Natural disasters are more frequent, identity theft is more common, and many of our most important records now live behind passwords and cloud accounts. Add in power outages, overloaded medical systems, data breaches, and increasing digital dependence, and it’s clear: having immediate, organized access to critical information isn’t optional, it’s practical resilience for modern life.
In our post-Covid world, consider adding some of these to your binder:
- Quick packing lists for an emergency evacuation
- 14-day academic schedule for each kid should you have to evacuate or shelter in place during the school year. This article details helpful tips in case you ever need to homeschool in an emergency.
- Place folded flat N95 mask for each person in the home and a pair of latex gloves in a manila envelope. Not just for a pandemic but any first-aid emergency.
- List of basic meds and supplements known to boost the immune system: Vitamin C, Ivermectin, zinc, Vitamin D, quercetin, electrolyte packets. (Research these to determine dosage and possible drug interactions)
- Hospitals and clinics within a 5-10-15+ mile radius of your home. In case of another widespread epidemic, it’s handy to know alternatives should one facility become over-crowded.
- This complete list of suggested supplies has everything in one place to make your job easier.
One more tip for 2026 — the internet we use and rely on so heavily every single day is surprisingly vulnerable to data breaches. As you work on your binder, think about how you could access information like contact info, medical help, and more in an internet outage. This article will help you prepare for an internet outage scenario.
With your finished Grab-and-Go Binder, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that your family can focus on a quick evacuation or other, sudden crisis without trying to retrieve scattered family records.
Emergency Binder for Seniors & College Students
Not every family member needs the same binder. College students and elderly parents have very different risks, responsibilities, and vulnerabilities. A customized binder for each life stage will be more useful than one loaded up with every possible document.
Grab-and-Go Binder for College Students
When my daughter headed off to college her freshman year, I’ll never forget the notification on my phone that a tornado was in her area! She had her own bin of emergency supplies (listed here), but those hours were nerve-wracking for us both!
An emergency binder for college students is a portable collection of essential documents and contact information designed to help young adults handle medical, financial, or campus emergencies independently. It should include identification copies, health insurance details, medication lists, emergency contacts, and key account information so critical details are accessible when parents are not nearby.
A college student’s binder should include:
- Copies of driver’s license and student ID
- Health insurance card and policy information
- List of medications, allergies, and emergency contacts
- Campus security and housing contact numbers
- Bank information and debit/credit card contacts (not full numbers)
- Vehicle registration and roadside assistance details
- Copies of passport (if studying abroad)
- Basic “What to Do in an Emergency” checklist
If they live in a dorm, emphasize:
- Evacuation procedures
- Alternate meeting locations
- Out-of-area emergency contact
And here’s the often-overlooked piece:
Make sure parents have limited access to essential information if something happens. Once a child turns 18, privacy laws can complicate medical access. A simple HIPAA release form in the binder can prevent major stress later.
When they are fully independent, they’ll already have the basics for their own, more complete binder.
Grab-and-Go Binder for Elderly Loved Ones
Helping an elderly loved one prepare for an emergency of any type is a true act of love. Their binder should prioritize simplicity and clarity — the one resource they can grab when they have critical questions and need that information immediately.
Their binder should include:
- Current medication list (with dosages and prescribing doctors)
- Copies of insurance cards (Medicare, supplemental plans)
- Advance directives and medical power of attorney
- Contact list for children, caregivers, and neighbors
- List of chronic conditions and treatment history
- Pharmacy contact information
- Mobility needs or medical equipment details
- MyChart login and password
If your loved one lives alone, include:
- Utility account numbers
- Home security instructions
- Location of spare keys
- Names of trusted neighbors
And most importantly — keep it simple and easy to read. Large print. Clear tabs. Minimal clutter.
In a crisis, responders or family members should be able to open that binder and understand the essentials in under two minutes.
The goal isn’t identical binders for everyone. It’s the right information, in the right hands, at the right time.
How often should it be updated?
Just as you updated your emergency kits and rotated your food storage, the Grab and Go binder also needs maintenance. I suggest that you do this at least once a year. A good time of year would be during Open Enrollment season for most insurance companies and Medicare — usually November 1 through mid-January. You will likely be getting updated insurance cards and policies, so why not update your binder at the same time?
PRO TIP: Stack this task with another that you already do regularly so it doesn’t fall through the cracks. Some options might include when you:
- update your emergency kits
- change the batteries in your smoke detectors
- conduct an annual review of your insurance policies
- experience a significant life change
Your binder will continue evolving during the year. Whenever an updated insurance policy arrives in the mail, a new prescription med is added to your routine, or you have a new, important contact to add or update, make a mental note to update your binder, too.
A Digital Backup
Each time you update the binder, or when you add or change something, backup all of that information on a flash drive. Here’s how it works.
Recreate the grab-and-go binder on your computer using a main folder containing sub-folders. One survival mom has subfolders for:
- Her pets
- Financial Documents
- Household Documents
- Legal Documents
- Medical Documents
- Personal Documents
- Military Documents
- Family Contacts
She has scanned copies of her driver’s license, birth certificate, social security card, passport, marriage certificate, Veteran discharge DD-214, professional licenses, etc. She’s also updated medical and insurance records, funeral arrangements, and other personal documents.
The initial setup is a lot of work, but gathering all this information in one place is worth it. After you have all of this on a central location on your desktop or laptop, copy it to a cloud storage option, like Google Drive, and to a flash drive.
There are a wide range of flash drives. Some hold just a small amount of data, while others can handle large files. If you are putting family pictures on a drive, you will want a large-capacity memory. Consider a flash drive that can be password protected and has encryption properties.
Digital Binder Do’s and Don’ts
DO
- Use two-step encryption process wherever possible
- Use an app like LastPass to store passwords
- Learn about BitDefender to protect your computers and other electronics from data breaches.
- Find out if any of your insurance policies provide digital protection, such as Allstate’s Identity Protection
- Use Adobe Scan or your smartphone’s scanning ability to quickly scan and save your docs
- Give a thumb drive with your binder’s contents to a trusted relative, but be aware it may not have updated information as time passes.
- Do think redundancy with a hard copy, digital copies on a thumb drive, external hard drive, and Cloud storage.
DON’T
- Don’t make it internet-dependent in case the internet is down or you can’t otherwise access it. An offline copy or two will save you a lot of headaches.
- Don’t store plain password lists. Those are too easy to steal if you misplace your smartphone or computer. Instead, use a digital password storage manager.
- Don’t dump all your digital documents in one big folder! Be sure to set up nested sub-folders and use those.
- Don’t create it once and forget it!
- Don’t forget battery-power backups. If you need to access your digital docs, have a power bank or power station to provide the power you need in an outage.
- Don’t assume everyone knows where and how to access your digital documents!
- Don’t skip a physical, hard copy of your binder contents.
- Don’t over-complicate it with tech. No one needs military encryption language, 14 apps, a cybersecurity degree!
Having backup to the backup plan is essential in case of fire, flood, severe weather conditions, and other emergency scenarios. Squirreling a couple of flash drives away with your essential information will put your personal information at your fingertips.
Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
A grab-and-go binder is meant to reduce stress in an emergency, not create more of it. Over the years, I’ve seen a few consistent mistakes that can limit how useful your binder really is.
1. Putting Originals in the Binder
It’s tempting to store original documents in one convenient place, but if your binder is lost, stolen, or damaged during an evacuation, those originals are gone. Keep originals in a fireproof safe and store copies in your grab-and-go binder.
2. Assuming a safe deposit box is the ultimate in security
Should those originals be kept in a bank’s safe deposit box? They’re kept under (literal) lock-and-key and generally very safe from fire and floods, although no bank building is immune from disasters. The downside to this is an urgent scenario where you absolutely must have those official, original documents NOW but the bank is closed, it’s miles away, or access is restricted.
In an emergency evacuation, you may not have time to drive to the bank and wait for an employee to assist you. For that reason, a safe deposit box works best as part of a layered system, not your only plan.
That might look like this:
- Originals of rarely needed documents (property deeds, vehicle titles, heirloom records) in a safe deposit box
- Essential originals (passports, birth certificates, wills) in a high-quality fireproof, waterproof home safe
- Copies of everything in your grab-and-go binder
- Encrypted digital backups stored securely
3. Creating It Once and Never Updating It
Insurance policies renew. Doctors change. Kids grow up. Phone numbers shift. A binder that hasn’t been reviewed in years may contain outdated or incorrect information. Set a calendar reminder to review it at least once a year.
4. Overloading It With Too Much Paper
If your binder is stuffed and disorganized, it becomes hard to flip through quickly under stress. Focus on essential documents and summaries. You can always store additional paperwork elsewhere.
5. Forgetting About Digital Access
A physical binder is essential, but having a secure digital backup adds another layer of resilience. Scan key documents and store encrypted copies on a password-protected flash drive or secure cloud storage.
6. Not Telling Anyone Where It Is
Your binder won’t help your family if no one knows it exists. Make sure trusted family members know where it’s stored and how to access it.
7. Ignoring Power and Technology Limits
If your digital binder requires internet access, a charged device, or a specific app, it may not be usable during a power outage. Always maintain a printed version of critical information.
FAQ
A Grab-and-Go Binder is a portable collection of essential documents and information your family might need in an emergency or when you have to leave your home quickly. It acts as a central, easily accessible resource.
In an emergency, you may not have time to gather critical documents. Having them organized in a binder ensures you have vital information like identification, medical records, insurance details, and contact lists readily available.
Some essentials include copies of identification (driver’s licenses, passports), insurance policies (home, auto, health), medical information (prescriptions, allergies), contact lists (family, emergency services), and important financial information.
You should review and update your binder at least once a year, or whenever significant changes occur (new insurance policies, updated contact information, changes in medications, etc.).
It’s best to keep them in a fireproof safe or a safe deposit box. Some documents you rarely need, such as the deed to your house, while others you need more often (passports, birth certificates). The question isn’t “Where is the safest place?” It’s “What happens if I can’t access that place when I need it most?”
Store your binder where you’ll remember where it is AND where it’s convenient and makes sense. Most people choose an easily accessible location near the main exit of your home, such as a hall closet, office shelf, or designated emergency supply area. It should be visible enough to grab quickly during an evacuation but not so exposed that it’s vulnerable to theft or everyday damage.
Get Extra Help Creating Your Grab-and-Go Binder
Stop feeling overwhelmed and finally create your essential Grab-and-Go Binder with Survival Mom’s help! This article provides the steps, but her her instantly accessible “Master the Grab and Go Binder” video workshop offers the extra boost you need to get it done right AND get it done now!
You’ll get training, resources, and a BONUS of 60+ printable pages for comprehensive organization, including health records, pet details, and end-of-life plans. You’ll also benefit from:
- Step-by-Step Video Guidance: Learn directly from Lisa Bedford.
- The Ultimate Checklist: Ensure you include everything you need.
- A Clear Organization Strategy: Make your documents easy to find.
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- Save Time and Effort: Access over 60 pre-designed forms – no creating from scratch!
- Customize Your Way: Choose to print and handwrite or fill in online.
Get my full video guide + 60+ printables here!
You could also get a CD storage clear plastic page and keep CDs with digital copies of family photos, scanned images of the documents on the list you provided, or just any other digital file you think you would not want to live without! Nice blog, Lisa!
Thanks for the suggestion, Jenny! I know we would hate to lose all our digital pics. It would be a good idea to put a second copy of the CD in a safety deposit box. Don’t forget to include pics of your home’s exterior, the interior of each room, and then a photo of any valuables you own. In so many cases when a home has been destroyed or severely damaged, it’s nearly impossible to put together an accurate insurance claim without the necessary information handy.
I’m so glad you found my blog!
Lisa
An eReader that allows you to upgrade your storage capacity with microSD cards is handy because you can keep copies of all your docs "buried" in among your novels, and prep books with boring titles like "How to Budget", or "Analysis of Mineral Content of the Brassicas", or whatever. A water-tight container for your e-book reader, alternative source for powering it, and a carry case for multiple microSD cards could conceivably carry everything you might need in the way of information.
Would you put originals in here, or just copies?
I'd make copies of the important documents and keep the originals in a safe, lockbox, or a safety deposit box. In this day and age it's not too difficult to get original copies replaced, but it could be quite a hassle, especially in the aftermath of a natural disaster or something similar.
I'm glad you found my blog, and I enjoyed your comments. Hope you bookmark my site and come back often.
Lisa
My info is in my passwords app (Tiny Password). All data and pics of the docs, titles, etc., are on my iPad that goes everywhere with me (and family member’s thumbprint access is on file).
Good post, thanks.
I'm glad you found my blog! Feel free to drop by anytime and share your experiences and opinions!
Lisa
Have you seen the Fly Lady web site? She is mainly a site to help women with keeping their houses clean. However she has awesome tips on emergency evacuation as well.
I am very glad that I found your site. My hubbie is celiac and I will make him healthy brownies with the pinto bean recipe!
Thank you for your dedication!
Yes, I've seen her site and have used a lot of her ideas. Not enough, though. When I use her system, my home is ready for company 24/7. As it stands now, I need about a 48 hour notice! Thanks for the reminder that my life went much more smoothly when I was taking her advice!
I think I'll apply the grab-n-go concept to my new food storage plan. I'll keep a running inventory with updated excel spreadsheets, then include categories of printed recipes and prep and cooking instructions. My storage cabinet looks so paltry in comparison, but I've just started and am excited to build on my plan. Thanks for an educational website.
That's a really good idea, Kat. I find that I grab tomato products most often, e.g. tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, pasta sauce. I'm constantly looking for bargains on those products, as a result. This summer I've committed myself to growing as many tomatoes as possible and canning my own.
BTW, keeping an inventory is actually quite motivating. If you have 20 cans of soup, let's say, that might be 20 lunches for your kids. You have almost a month's worth of lunches already! If your kids are bigger, figure on adding some pasta or rice to the soup to stretch it out a bit. It really is very encouraging to see how everything adds up. I have posted quite a few tips on food storage, including one or two on keeping an inventory. Don't forget to do the same with things like soap, shampoo, eye drops, etc. Good luck!
Good point about having it all in one place. I have to admit, I'm still working on actually DOING both of these, but the Life.doc binder leaves NO excuses for not getting this done. I need to do the valuables.doc as well. The other thing I want to do is copy all our photos and important computer files onto a portable back up drive so we can grab that quickly in an emergency.
I have gotten as far as having some of the important documents for us and my mother in law at my parents house in another state. (We're fully responsible for my mother in law at this point – she.s the .5 in our 2.5 kids.) But it's definitely not all the information that you list here.
We run with a grab-n-go concept, too, but not with the documents so far. Gunna add that one. We have a pretty well secured safe setup, and things are well protected there.
Our food is GNG… totes and uniformly shaped boxes. We can load up and be gone for good in just over an hour, and for short term in 25 minutes.
I'd suggest too copies of car registration, insurance cards and maintenance records in case the vehicle(s) are lost or damaged in a naturall disaster, fire, etc. Thanks for your great blog!
Melinda, those are excellent suggestions! I'll add them to my official list. Thanks!
Would also recommend a copy of ALL of your medical records, i.e. doctor visit notes, labs, x-ray results, EKG, etc. I keep this on a thumb drive and have had to use at a specialist's office when he hadn't received information from my family doctor (saved me from having to reschedule the visit). Also important if you have a medical history (cardiac, lung, diabetes, etc). Useful for – emergency room visit, get a new EKG, is that rhythm new or old?? Can compare to old records.
I do this for each member of my family.
Would also recommend a copy of ALL of your medical records, i.e. doctor visit notes, labs, x-ray results, EKG, etc. I keep this on a thumb drive and have had to use at a specialist's office when he hadn't received information from my family doctor (saved me from having to reschedule the visit). Also important if you have a medical history (cardiac, lung, diabetes, etc). Useful for – emergency room visit, get a new EKG, is that rhythm new or old?? Can compare to old records.
Now that I've found what I need to put in a GNG binder, I'd add one thing: keep it in a secure location, out of sight, and not labeled as what it is but rather something that you associate with GNG'ing. DH and I both have new flash drives, too, for additional backup, plus information on making a hidden and password-protected directory to keep the files secure.
Unless you've ever been in a situation where you can't find important documents, you can't imagine the inconvenience of having to get replacements. Karen, your idea of having multiple electronic copies is a good one, but also have a hard copy or two at a family member's home or even kept at work in a locked drawer. In a truly dire emergency, something saved on a flash drive or CD would be useless until you could access both a computer and a printer.
Per the EMP post, you might want to make sure at least one is protected in case of an EMP. For something as small as a flash drive, you could probably even use a tin tic tac container with the paint sanded off so it gets metal on metal.
Karen, to truly keep the information secure, you'll need to use a good encryption program like True Crypt (it's free). I do computer forensics for a living and, trust me, it's easy to find your hidden directory and just as easy to crack the password.
I just recently had to get a copy of my daughter's birth certificiate for her driver permit. It was a total pain. I think in certain kinds of emergencies it might be impossible. Better to have than to need.
Thanks for spurring us on to these important tasks. 🙂
Just started my Grab N Go binder. I am also including pdf files on comprehensive first aid, emergency treatment for drinking water, and food storage guides. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I just added a .pdf for how to season cast iron on a wood fire and, as I find it, information on common edible plants in my area. I had no clue that day lilies were edible – or that they had a non-edible look alike. I've printed out the information on both and how to tell the difference.
Would like a list of foods – staples – for a one year supply and how to store same. Jahkeita@aol.com. Thanks.
Choose a color for your binder,that is different from any other binder. In a grab and go situation, you may have to tell big brother to get the polka dotted binder, immediately. No mistakes when it counts.
Nana, that's a fantastic piece of advice! Thanks!
We dealt with our house getting flooded during a tropical storm in 2008 and we had about an hour to pack up and leave once we realized we were going to be flooded (we honestly didn't know it flooding was coming, and we just happened to live in one of the few neighborhoods that had bad draining that caused the flooding).
I can speak from experience that the brain does lock up. I would walk into a room intending to pack up some stuff, not knowing how bad the flooding was going to be or how long we would be out of our house and I would go blank and wonder why I was standing in the room.
It turned out that we were out of our house for 6 months. We were fortunate to have flood insurance, though, and I can say that having good records is a MUST for dealing with insurance people. We had just about everything we claimed paid for because I kept copies/originals of receipts for just about everything we purchase. I was able to prove the cost for almost everything. The few things we couldn't prove were approved because the insurance rep could see how organized I was about everthing else.
As you said, photos of everything/every room is important. It is also important, if possible, to take photos immediately after a disaster to show what was damaged before you throw anything away. The more photos the better. Our pool table was badly damaged because the water caused the legs to split in half. Our claim for the pool table was going to be denied until I showed details photos of the damage to it from the flood waters.
It might also be good to keep a small amount of food to add to your binder, such as energy bars. Once the adrenalin runs off you are going to be hungry. If you use plastic sleeves that can be zipped open and shut in your binder then you can easily add a few of these to your binder.
Lastly, it might be good to add some emergency cash to your binder (concealed in a zipper sleeve). You might need cash right away. We had $200 that we took with us that proved invaluable. (I added this as a response to a reply but then realized that it might be better as its own response so it can be seen, since your responses are hidden – please delete my other response since it is a duplicate of this. Sorry!)
I recently discovered that my State Farm insurance agent can print out a very neat & tidy listing of all my insurance policies on just a few pages. So instead of keeping track of several different declarations pages for each policy and having to update the information at each renewal, they are all listed together. The information includes coverages, deductibles, policy numbers, effective & expiration dates – basically everything you would need in a very nice concise form. If someone wants to request the same info I would suggest they call their agent's office and ask for a "Policy Listing Print" from their customer profile (not all agents may be familiar with this capability).
Here are two thoughts … in addition to the afore mentioned documentation a video of everything in your house and storage. The other idea is to recycle a binder from one of the kids, who will notice a kids binder in your car, and use it for a copy of your GNG binder. Just keep it with your vehicle 72 hr ki.
I recently put all the documents mentioned above on an encrypted (Ironkey) flash drive that I have attached to my key chain. I back it up periodically to my home computer and my work computer. It’s small, secure and I always have it with me.
One thing I haven’t seen listed is your digital camera…put it on the list of things to grab! If you have an extra (or buy a cheapie one) put it in your vehicle 72 hour kit. You never know when a “picture is worth a thousand words”!
In addition to all the aforementioned items, I would include any important religion documents such as baptism certificates, etc.
Great website!!
Hi. LOVE your site. I am a 59 y/o retired woman with my immediate family (niece/her husband/3 children under 13 years). We live in Southern California about a mile apart. In 2003 we all had to evacuate to a relative’s home near the beach because of the 2003 wildfires. I helped the family evacuate (they had 3 tiny babies), and took my dog “just in case”. A week later my home, my dad’s home and everything we owned was ashes. We literally had the clothes on our backs and what was in our cars.
You have NO idea of the magnitude of re-creating the paperwork for your life. It took me nearly 2 years (along with the re-build) to re-create all my legal documents. I personally was fortunate to see a PBS special with Suze Orman. She recommended her Ultimate Protection Porfolio and I purchased one that night. It takes a LOT of work to put all the necessary papers in the Portfolio, but it gives an immense feeling of security! I estimated that it took me about 120+ hours spread over months to prepare my portfolio.
In 2007, wildfires hit again. It literally took me 7 minutes to evacuate and then I was able to get my 88 year old step-mom with Alzheimer’s from her property 15 miles away behind a police line to stop people from going thru. It took me longer to persuade the police to let me through then it took to evacuate her and my dad’s essential papers and belongings. All told, I was able to evacuate my bare necessities, medications, papers, pets and my dad’s wife (very agitated with Alzheimer’s), and all of his essential documents and necessities and medications in less than 90 minutes. (30 of those were spent getting through the roadblock!) My dad was helping our dearest friends evacuate livestock from their ranch which burned to the ground. We didn’t see him for 3 days.
Instead of taking and making all these copies simply scan them into your computer and copy to a flash drive — takes up no room at all. You still might have to take some originals but a flash drive/memory stick is the easiest carry method.
I agree, Lois. Keep in mind, though, that there are times when a computer might not be easily accessible, or a printer, and hard copies are best. Be sure to keep each document in a page protector, or laminate them if they aren’t official, such as a birth certificate.
We have our GOOD binder built up already, but lately I’ve been thinking of making two mini-binders for our individual information to keep in our GOOD bags, in case we get separated during an emergency. Am I over-thinking things, or does a redundancy plan make sense in this situation?
A thumb-drive or jump-drive is a good choice for this as well. They come in a variety of sizes (many gigs as opposed to maybe 1 on a cd) and you don’t have worry about where to use it, many new smaller tablets and net devices do not have a cd player in them but they do have a USB port. They are also more portable than a cd, you can slip it in your pocket, just don’t get it wet or forget to take it out of that pocket before laundry day, it may not survive.
Maybe it’s time to update the IP addresses in this article.
Thanks
Hi David. We went through all the links in this article, and they are all functioning correctly.
Be aware that many, if not most, businesses and organizations will not allow electronic media to be used in their computers. This is especially true for government agencies. This is due to the high risk of damage to their computers by loading viruses, bugs, and many other types of invasive programing. Plus there is media that will physically damage computers.
Most places will not risk their system to pull your information off your media, much less let you use their computer to do so. This is why hard copies of everything with the least bit of legal aspect be available as a hard copy.
Many other things are fine with just an electronic version, but if someone ‘official’ needs the information, be sure you have the hard copies. And do keep them organized. You do not want to need 20 minutes to thumb through dozens of pieces of paper to fin the document needed while ten, or even one person is waiting to see the clerk.
If using only a single binder for everything, you risk someone, including organizations and individuals that you really do not want seeing certain types of information that you would have in the binder. Evacuation routes. Especially those with cache sites marked on them; weapons and ammunition supplies and locations; radio types and frequency plans; some rendezvous and other destinations listed or marked on the maps. These are just a few things that I would have in a separate binder, just as important, but less eye-catching, and kept in the same or similar location as the main binder so it will not be forgotten nor wind up in the wrong hands.
Just my opinion.
Jerry
Jerry D Young
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and always remember TANSTAAFL
(“There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch” Manny, from The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A Heinlein
Good tips. Thanks!
Take photos of the documents and email them to yourself. This way as long as you have an internet connection you can access the documents. Highly recommended for people traveling outside of their country where wallets, luggage and purses can be stolen.
Yep! That has helped me out so many times!