Being prepared isn't something that is always for some future event. There are no guarantees that life will be smooth sailing. Trials and accidents happen to all of us. But are you prepared to deal with the trial when it happens to you?
From a tragic accident that happened this week in my family, I want everyone to know how important it is to have a Health Directive, "Living Will" Declaration filled out. None of us want to think that this will happen to us, but life changes...literally...in an instant. And there are so many decisions that need to be made beforehand. If my mom did not have a health directive filled out with her health care wishes made known, it would've made a horrific situation even more stressful. Please be prepared with your healthcare wishes known for those in your family who will be taking care of you in an emergency situation. It is stressful enough to have to deal with an accident, but to not know how to treat someone medically according to their wishes, will be too much for even the strongest of us.
Keep all vital records and paperwork together in a binder or file folder. Looking for paperwork is almost beyond mental ability when you are in shock from learning about an accident. Have all information in one location to you can access it and also be able to grab and go in an evacuation type event. Click here for a previous post on vital record storage.
With all the destruction that occured during Hurricane Sandy imagine trying to find your insurance information among all the debris. Imagine now that you have made copies of all of your important papers and had them laminated and sent off to a trusted friend or family member. Barbara Salsbury recommends you seal this information in a large envelope, tape it closed, and mail it to someone you trust. If the tape is ever torn, you know someone opened it but at least you will have this information available in a stressful time. This way you will have all of your information in one location, safe from a flood, tornado, or earthquake.
I also suggest that you keep your birth certificates, SS cards, insurance info, marriage license, etc. all together in one location, or even in a fire safe box within your home. I try to make copies of all our photos onto cds and flash drives, and I keep them in our important information box. Everyone in my family knows where this box is and to grab it if we had to evacuate.
Don't forget to include:
- birth certificates
- SS cards
- immunization records
- marriage license
- home and auto insurance information
- wills or other testaments
- investment information
- bank accounts
- credit card information
- life insurance
- medical information, list of family doctors
- list of medications
- anything else you wouldn't be able to reproduce or prove you own without documentation
