The 411 On Being Prepared for A 911.

A few months ago, my husband and I woke up to the smell of something burning. Fortunately it was not a fire: the control board on the furnace had malfunctioned. I couldn't help but wonder what if it had been an actual fire. Of course my initial thoughts were that I would make sure everyone got out safely. But then I thought about whether I would be able to grab my purse or other important items. What would I do if I lost my license, credit cards, or even my medications? This set me on a mission to be as prepared as I could should an emergency arise. So I started gathering all my important papers and items I would need and put them in a fireproof safe. What you put in your emergency kit will depend on your situation. Here is what I put in mine:

All original identification papers. I made a photocopy of my license as this is one case where the original needs to be handy at any given moment. I put originals of our passports, marriage license and birth certificates in the safe and made photocopies to keep in my filing cabinet.

Photocopies of all credit card accounts. I made sure to copy both the back and front of the cards as most now have a security code that is needed for transactions. The back also contains important customer service phone numbers.

A list of bank account numbers. In addition, I put a few blank checks in the safe just in case I needed to access money. I figured that in the event that I had no ID or ATM card, I could write a check to a family member so I could get cash in an emergency.

Photocopies of important insurance papers. I included both life insurance and home insurance.

A few days worth of medications for all family members. I figured doing this would help reduce stress in the event of an emergency as it would likely take a few days to obtain replacements. Emergencies are stressful enough without the added burden of medical complications. Other papers I included were original health care proxy forms, extra medical insurance ID cards I had on hand and medication lists for both my husband, myself and my dog (don't forget your pets!).

A few important lists. One list was of family contacts. I usually program frequently used phone numbers directly into my cell phone and know I would have a hard time remembering them off the top of my head. I also included a list of all my computer accounts and passwords.

Unleash Your Organized Me!