A Quick Checklist of Documents to Copy and Pack in Your GO-bag

Are you ready to grab and go? When you evacuate your home you may move to a friend’s or relative’s house or a shelter. The friend or relative or shelter may have some personal supplies like toothbrushes and toothpaste, blankets, some first aid supplies and probably some food but neither your friends, your relatives or a shelter will have your critical documents. You need to make copies and keep your documents with you in your GO-bag.

Copy your most critical documents and store them in a waterproof pouch. Documents you should consider storing include:

• mortgages or leases
• bank and credit card statements
• current utility bill
• insurance information
• current prescriptions
• birth certificates
• marriage certificate
• passport
• driver’s license
• social security card
• pet’s vaccination reports

Plus other documents unique and important to you.

Review this information at least once a year to keep it current.

You also should store paper money, in small denominations, as ATMs may not be working during an emergency.